Thread: Removing paste from leather strop?

Well, in my zeal in making a new paddle strop, I put too much (yellow bottle) paste. This is the non-grit stuff. I have coated it and need to get most of it off... Who has a good way to remove paste from leather stropes? Help!

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Saddle Soap maybe I've cleaned mine with it. I've read where some have used Williams Shaving Soap.

Assuming you've wiped off the excess, you could try covering with absorbent paper (We call it kitchen towel here, not sure what you do!) and ironing it to draw some back out. Don't get the iron too hot, or you'll fry the strop.

I've used Saddle Soap myself to clean old vintage strops. I imagine it would help remove some of the paste, either that, or a good leather cleaner. Once cleaned, it may be very dry. You may have to condition it, Neetsfoot oil, or Leather conditioner....

If it's the yellow non grit stuff it's just a conditioner so I would just wipe off as much as possible and use it and see what happens. Don't start scrubbing a strop if you don't have to. Unless you really gunk it up eventually it will dry in anyway.

Chris,

Under extreme circumstances I have used a lighter fluid (Ronson) soaked cloth to remove excessive oil from a strop; this method worked really well for me.

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Originally Posted by zib

You may have to condition it, Neetsfoot oil, or Leather conditioner....

But only if you take things to the other end of the scale.

As thebigspendur mentions, the yellow is conditioner, so if you can simply draw out the excess, it should resolve the issue.

+1 on Slam's suggestion for shave soap ... the other recommendations sound good as well ... just wanted to say that I had good results with shave soap (I didn't use Williams).