I made an important discovery about my strop

I have an antique Old Gold strop with both leather and silk webbing sides. After I hone a blade I only strop on the leather side and any other time I stropped on both the webbing and the leather. I was also finding that I was having trouble with good edges becoming dull rather fast with a lot of discomfort.

So anyway, I have come to the realisation that the webbing side of my strop may have been treated with some form of abrasive at some stage.
And then last night I tried stropping only on the leather and I got a great shave.

Of course with old cloth strops unless you really clean and scrub them you never know what a previous owner did or put into it. I would think if some mild abrasive was added it would help not hinder. Try cleaning it and then see what happens.

Like TBS said, try cleaning it. I had good luck with washing vintage linens in cold water and Woolite. Drying flat on a table or whatever. No heat, just air drying.

+1 to the cleaning the fabric part as well.

It may have never had anything added to it, depending on how old and where it was stored it could just be dirt/grime/dust. Fine grit will build up on anything and esp cloth and when it gets moist like say from steam from a shower it can get brought to the surface.

-Jeremy