Thread: A true noobie strop question

+1, just rub it with your hand before each use. A couple of weeks of doing that will really get the leather nice and supple!

I rub my strop before each use all the time as it increases the draw and seems to make the stropping more effective. The oils in your skin also maintain the leather, so its kinda win/win TBH..!

If you want to practice stropping, I read a great idea on another thread here: Cut out a strip of newspaper the same size as your strop and clip it in a large bulldog clip. Use the clip to hang up the paper just like you would your strop, and practice stropping on that. If you slice it then you need to practice the stropping motion, and if you tear the paper you're applying too much pressure.

Doing this will give you a feel for both the actual stropping motion and how much pressure to apply when stropping, with the added advantage that its basically free and totally replaceable if you cut or tear the paper.

Good luck and keep us posted!