Thread: Convert a Strop to Suede?

I have a strop from SRD and a strop from RupRazor. I prefer the suede feel and draw of the RupRazor strop, but I prefer everything else about the SRD strop. Is there any thing I can do to modify the SRD strop so that it has the same suede feel and draw as the RupRazor strop?

120 Grit sandpaper perhaps??

I have used this on a strop to remove wrinkles on the surface from it being rolled up during shipping and it resulted in a slightly more velvety feel...

It will be hard to make it feel the same...
And its a shame to ruin a good strop

If you sand off the shiny layer off the strop you will get a different feel,
220 or coarser should do the trick(220 leave a pretty fine finish)

regular sandpaper i would not use higher than 60 as finer can embed grit in the strop that is hard to remove, i think good wet-dry could be used tho

oh yes after rubbing it clean with the palm of your hand you will need to get the right conditioner

I've used a random orbital palm sander with 220 grit paper on several strops to great effect. The random motion of the sander leaves a strop with no marks that has a nice draw and literally looks like new.

My understanding is suede is the opposite side of leather so it's different. personally if that's what you want I would just get that rather than mess up a good strop. You'll probably mess up the finishing and dressing in the strop.

I wouldnt sand the top grain of the leather you will totally bugger ya strop if you remove to much , as bigspender suggested use the back which is the flesh side "suede" or a light rub over the grain side with a pumice stone may improve the draw to your liking along with a small amount of lather massaged in every now an then

Suede is the flesh side, the inside is where all the fat etc has to be scraped off in the tannng process. The smooth side is the 'hair' side of the hide. If you take off the first couple of millimetres of that you'll end up with suede on both sides and a nicely ruined strop.
I think what you'll want to do is to really work on softening the leather to try and get that suede feel, but there is risk involved in that too. It also depends on the tanning processes used in the treatment of the two different strops. Like cut-throat shaving, there are many facets in leather treatment, and a fine line between good work well done, and feeling sorry you ever thought to try something that in hind-sight was obviously painfully stupid.
I recommend you just appreciate your strops characters for what they are.


Mick