Just thought I'd pass a recommendation along from an old leather expert (he's not old, only the leather ). I've seen a lot of recommendations for conditioning strops on the forum, and this relates, I think, and I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback.

I like old motorcycles, and one of the big debates/discussions in old motorcycle forums is how to restore old leather seats, saddlebags, etc. A couple of guys who are the gurus of motorcycle leather restoration swear that the only thing you should use on old leather ... either to restore it or to maintain it, is glycerine. All other solutions seem to bring up their ire ... neatsfoot oil, saddle soap, murphy's oil, mink oil, etc. Their concerns are around either synthetic additives that will ultimately degrade the leather, or more natural oils that will keep the leather from "breathing". Glycerine is a natural humectant that literally draws moisture from the air that keeps the leather from drying out (or replacing the lost moisture on dry leather) without the oil or synthetics.

I have recently purchased a vintage strop and am planning on cleaning it (as it seems to be a little "sticky"), and then will probably apply some glycerine. I'll report on the results once I've done this ... in the meantime, any experience or opinions are appreciated.