I finally worked up the courage to clean up my grandfathers strop. I'm not sure how old it is, but I remember it hanging from his barber chair when I was very young, and I'm 52. The leather was in fine shape, and after a good cleaning with saddle soap, and working in some mink oil, it is very supple. The linen side was another story. It was stiff as a board, and had several raised areas that felt like a washboard when I drew a blade across it. I soaked it in hot water, scrubbed it with Dawn dishsoap and a nailbrush, rinsed many times till the water ran clear. (you should have seen the black crud that came off it) Still stiff and washboard-like. I then placed it between a couple of towels and ironed it till it finally smoothed out. (got a definite smell of beeswax during the ironing, so maybe didn't get all of the wax/strop dressing out). It is now dry, and quite flat, still very stiff. The linen is a very coarse, but very tight weave.

1. Is the linen supposed to be very stiff?

2. Do I need to treat/apply some sort of strop dressing?

3. Is it possible that it was originally treated with beeseax, or a beeswax based dressing? If so what should I use on it now?


Further info: The brand name is worn to the point of being unreadable, but the leather is stamped "Tanned in Scotland" "BuckSkin" Price $2.00
H.B. Jaeger B.S. Co. Jacksonville ILLS "X-L-ALL"

Any info/guidance much appreciated.