Thread: Shoe repair shop strop

So I wandered into this dim little shoe/leather repair shop to inquire about a strop or some material. She didn't have anything precut in a 3" width so she walks back up with a huge slab of leather over a 1/4" thick and says I can cut you a piece 3"x20", and will sew the ends over some D rings for me. I guess my question is to treat this thing and get it ready for stropping should i do some light sanding with fine sandpaper and treat with some neatsfoot oil? I found some nice looking D rings here http://www.eleathersupply.com/images/3520200-203.jpg

Originally Posted by Strikur

So I wandered into this dim little shoe/leather repair shop to inquire about a strop or some material. She didn't have anything precut in a 3" width so she walks back up with a huge slab of leather over a 1/4" thick and says I can cut you a piece 3"x20", and will sew the ends over some D rings for me. I guess my question is to treat this thing and get it ready for stropping should i do some light sanding with fine sandpaper and treat with some neatsfoot oil? I found some nice looking D rings here http://www.eleathersupply.com/images/3520200-203.jpg

First, try it the way it turns out no sanding, no oil.
Begin with the classic hand rubdown and let it pick up
oil over time from your hand....

As thick as it is my guess is that a little bit of neatsfoot oil will change
the draw but no amount will change the flexibility. A thin bit
of oil might repel water spots.

If you are lucky and she cuts a good smooth piece you may never need
another leather strop in this lifetime.

My strategy is based on two things... one of which is to do nothing
that cannot be undone. Sanding and oil are nearly impossible to
undo.... And two, I have a short shoe leather strop on oak that I like
for kitchen knives.

If the price is right and the leather finish blemish free get two....

I would guess it would depend on the type of tanning and dressing the leather has. As long as its free of marks and irregularities and fat creases it should work.

That is exactly what I made my Bench Strops from but I did treat them after sanding with 320 grit sandpaper...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...trop-hone.html

Keep in mind that I used mine for pasted applications specifically

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

As long as its free of marks and irregularities and fat creases it should work.

If only that applied to me! lol

If she can do one 24" you would have what most old pro barber strops were. I like that length. Personally if I were to get it I wouldn't sand it or treat it to start with. I would do the palm of the hand rub for awhile and see what happens. You can always add neatsfoot or whatever but it is hard to take away. Same with sanding. Once you break through the top grain it is gone forever. OTOH, depending on what you want that may be a good thing. I would try it as is first though. Just my 2 bits.