Thread: Strop hard like plastic

This is a nice strop. I would recommend saddle soaping it and then rubbing in Neatsfoot Oil. Work it in like you would on a ball glove. Keep working it in until you get it less then stiff. If you run it over a bottle when it is very stiff you run the risk of cracking it. Russian strops are often very rough as they were made from split leather. Good luck

Originally Posted by Kenrup

This is a nice strop. I would recommend saddle soaping it and then rubbing in Neatsfoot Oil. Work it in like you would on a ball glove. Keep working it in until you get it less then stiff. If you run it over a bottle when it is very stiff you run the risk of cracking it. Russian strops are often very rough as they were made from split leather. Good luck

Hi,

I figured a take a light touch to it and not rush it. I think I spend some time with it to see if it can be persuaded act like a strop again.

Mike

Hi,

I did not do the the lather and glass bottle treatment. I did slather with Neatsfoot oil. I'd wipe it on it would suck it up. I did that for a few minutes while it drank in the oil. I let stand for a few a hours on its own. Then I a took a used piece of 400 grit sand paper to it. While this did not remove the hard finish it did make draw more like a shell strop strop. I'm guessing this was a shell strop to begin with and lack of care and age got to it. It seems to be a working strop now. The draw is slicker than I like but it does work.

- Mike

ok that strop you have there is a vintage russia shell strop 165A