Thread: New strop question

I just recieved a illinois #827 Russian leather strop and I was wondering if I have to use any type of conditioner like the DOVO yellow paste before use?

Bill

In general a quality strop doesn't need break-in but tell us more about yours. Is it very stiff and hard or soft and supple.

I find that rubbing the strop with your hand before each use is enough to break it in. The oils in your skin do a good job, and the rubbing motion makes the leather more supple and softens it up.

It also increases the draw when you strop, which I like!

It seem to be so much variety in Illinois strops that its not good to give you a definite answer

But if you dont like the feel untreated you can always try treating it later
(its also possible to undo the treatment but that is probably advanced strop restoration)

Yep, hand grease works. Remember, when it comes to secretions of the epidermis.. the quick sweat for cooling (I just sawed something outside and it's near 90s with high humidity) is a lot of water, the gradual kind of sweat that keeps your own living leather soft and supple and protected is sebum, which is mostly lipids, fatty acids. That's the kind you want. I've buzzed my hair and draw from that, it's a renewable resource!

If you don't wash your scalp for a few days and are good at safely pinching the sebum on the edge you can even skip the step of oiling the edge for blade maintenance.