Thread: Vintage strop... can I use it?

Can anyone tell me if strops lose the ability to work? I just bought this vintage strop for only 5 bucks. It looks like a good solid hunk of leather but I wonder if something this old may do more harm than good if I actually use it.
It is a W.R.Case 1918. Thank you in advance for any commentary. -Pete M.

It is hard to tell from teh picture. Does it have a lot of cuts in it or anything abnormal?

Originally Posted by petermeix

Can anyone tell me if strops lose the ability to work? I just bought this vintage strop for only 5 bucks. It looks like a good solid hunk of leather but I wonder if something this old may do more harm than good if I actually use it.
It is a W.R.Case 1918. Thank you in advance for any commentary. -Pete M.

There was a high definition large photo of the strop, unfortunately it disappeared after I bought the item so i was unable to post it. But I was surprised to see no noticeable nicks or cuts. I thought maybe I can lather the strop to clean it, roll it out flat let it dry then maybe hit it lightly with fine grit paper (maybe 320) as it looks a bit glazed or glossy. One thing I have learned with leather (I refinish leather auto interiors professionally) is to find the grain direction and sand with all strokes in the same direction. This prevents peeling or rolling the leather and gives better uniformity. I have never used a strop so I really don't know what the ideal surface texture is. I see a ton of strops for sale out there and some look really loose grained, almost like suede. others look much tighter grained like the outer skin of the hide.Most all the leather I deal with in my trade has a side that is very tight and a side that is very loose.

Try rubbing lather into it a few times. I rubbed tabac lather into my DD strop every night after shaving for a few days and it did it good.

Originally Posted by petermeix

There was a high definition large photo of the strop, unfortunately it disappeared after I bought the item so i was unable to post it. But I was surprised to see no noticeable nicks or cuts. I thought maybe I can lather the strop to clean it, roll it out flat let it dry then maybe hit it lightly with fine grit paper (maybe 320) as it looks a bit glazed or glossy. One thing I have learned with leather (I refinish leather auto interiors professionally) is to find the grain direction and sand with all strokes in the same direction. This prevents peeling or rolling the leather and gives better uniformity. I have never used a strop so I really don't know what the ideal surface texture is. I see a ton of strops for sale out there and some look really loose grained, almost like suede. others look much tighter grained like the outer skin of the hide.Most all the leather I deal with in my trade has a side that is very tight and a side that is very loose.

I would not sand it unless you wanted a brushed leather texture on the stropping surface.

The glazing or haziness is ok, as long as the stropping surface is smooth and not cracked, or with large nicks.

I'd soak it in water overnight, then use lather to condition it. Use a soap with tallow if you have it. Rolling a glass bottle over it helps work the lather in.

Check out this thread here for a bunch of info on lathering a strop to recondition it.

Today I was given a WR Case strop,which belonged to a 50 yrs olds grandfather, consisting of 2 leather peices, both black with the number 42 on the handle. no nicks, slight crease up and down 2-3 inches long.
One of the strops is thin- could it be horsehide?

Bottom line I would like to rejuvenate it- needs to get plumbed up a bit

Where so I start-
saddle soap
mink oil
Neatsfoot oil

I restored one old vintage strop. I used Saddle Soap to clean it, and then conditioned it with neetsfoot oil. I have a buffer which helped with the process. The only drag is, it's loaded with Cigarette smoke. I wish the seller had mentioned that, I probably would have passed. It looks great, like new, but It's been in my garage for a year, hanging on a roll around tool box. No matter what I do, I can't get the smoke out. It's permiated. I've tried every trick in the book. I don't dare bring it in with my other strops due to contamination. I don't want everything smelling of smoke...

Not sure if it would work but have you contacted any of the folks that do smoke busting in used cars? They use something that draws the smell out completely- something to due with negative ions of the smoke particles.

In the alternative-
water/vinegar solution is good then hang the strop in a plastic bag sealed up good with either Activated carbon if you can find some or baking soda in the bottom to absorb the smell can help.

If all else fails, send it to me, I got some ideas, if you dont mind risking the strop!