Thread: Okay, I've received my new strop - now what?

Okay, I've received my new SRD Premium I strop today - now what? The strop is leather and hard pressed wool felt.

I've read various articlea on strop care and am a little confused if I need to paste or spray the felt side with Chromium Oxide or a Diamond Spray before using? If I do, what would be better to start with? I understand that you cannot combine these products, once you have applied one of them you need to use the same product from then on? Should I use a .5, 1 or 2 micron?

Can I use the strop as is for now? Any help is appreciated thank you.

If you plan on using the felt side as a dayly strop you should not add any abrasives

use the strop as is now

When you want to start using pastes for touch up you still need a clean fabric strop

For the proper care of the leather on your strop, all you need to do is

1. Do not hang strop in bathroom because the high humidity will affect the leather.

2. Rub the leather of your strop with your hands daily because the oil from your hands will keep the leather soft and supple.

Chromium Oxide and Diamond spray are for the additional maintaining of the edge on your razor between honing. You don't need to do this right away. If you use either of these, they will not come off the linen side of your strop.

Originally Posted by prosneek

For the proper care of the leather on your strop, all you need to do is

1. Do not hang strop in bathroom because the high humidity will affect the leather.

2. Rub the leather of your strop with your hands daily because the oil from your hands will keep the leather soft and supple.

Chromium Oxide and Diamond spray are for the additional maintaining of the edge on your razor between honing. You don't need to do this right away. If you use either of these, they will not come off the linen side of your strop.

+1 Just concentrate on stropping your razor as is, without the pastes. I've been straight razor shaving for a couple of years, and never found the need to paste my strop.

I agree with the others. If the wool felt is your only material, and for daily use, then No. Do not spray or paste it. As far as the Leather goes, Just a rub down with the palm of your hand. SRD Premium 1 is high quality leather. It needs no treatment...To be honest, You should have got Linen or Cotton for daily use, and then purchase a seperate wool felt strop. They are wonderful for sprays, either the Diamond or the Chromium oxide, both available at SRD. What I would do, is buy another piece of material from SRD. You can buy a piece of Cotton or webbed fabric from them, You might even be able to fit it in your existing strop.

You may find depending on where you live a need to apply a tad of neatsfoot oil to the strop if it starts to dry. I live in single digit humidity conditions and eventually its starts to dry and there just isn't enough oil on my hands to do much.

Originally Posted by zib

I agree with the others. If the wool felt is your only material, and for daily use, then No. Do not spray or paste it. As far as the Leather goes, Just a rub down with the palm of your hand. SRD Premium 1 is high quality leather. It needs no treatment...To be honest, You should have got Linen or Cotton for daily use, and then purchase a seperate wool felt strop. They are wonderful for sprays, either the Diamond or the Chromium oxide, both available at SRD. What I would do, is buy another piece of material from SRD. You can buy a piece of Cotton or webbed fabric from them, You might even be able to fit it in your existing strop.

Great idea! Thanks for your feedback.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their ideas. You have cleared up my confusion! Thanks.

Originally Posted by rkelmy

Great idea! Thanks for your feedback.

Would you suggest a .5, 1 or 2 micron spray?

Originally Posted by rkelmy

Would you suggest a .5, 1 or 2 micron spray?

I have the .5 diamond, and it's great....

Check this, If you got SRD's Hard Wool Felt Strop with a Cotton or Linen second, You could put the linen/cotton on your main everyday strop, and then have two hard wool felts for sprays. SRD has both Chromium Oxide and Diamond Spray...You'd be good to go brother....That's what I'd do....