Thread: Restoring a Vintage Strop

Originally Posted by mrbison

Would you sand them ?

I've been told, AFTER I sanded cuts on my first strop, that the use of a pumice stone would be preferred to sand paper. Reason-small bits of the sand would be imbedded in the leather and would scratch the edge of my razor as I stropped. Taking that information for what it was worth, into the shower, lathering, scrubbing with plastic, repeating the process half a dozen times, smoothing the leather with a small glass bottle, and then just the tinest amount of neetsfoot oil, first rubbed on both hands before briskly applying it and then putting this strop aside for a month while I hand rub it every day is where I am with the sanding. Hopefully some of this will be useful for you. Old leather has to be fed carefully. Some boot manufactures recommend a solution of Properts, a substance designed to restore natural oils to leather. If it were my Grandfather's strop, I would try to find a local expert that works with leather and get their advice.