Thread: Old Canvas with Paste

So, I've been reading up on strops and strop techniques, but haven't run across this one yet and wanted to run it by you guys as it's my situation.

I picked up an antique strop off of the bay that came with a canvas strip that's in really good shape, but is coated (somewhat sporadically) in red paste. I have no idea how old the paste is, if it needs to come out, how to get it out if it does, or if it can be used as it is. I'd assume pastes don't have expiration dates, but not sure how to handle this one.

Thanks guys,

Iron Oxide, Rouge, Dovo Red, no telling which of them...

I normally clean old linen strops in the big utility sink using very hot water, a very stiff nylon brush, and powdered laundry detergent... This will get them pretty clean...

I re-condition them with common blackboard chalk and spray starch...

Make sure you dry them laying on a flat surface, and flipping them every few hours until dry...

Thanks Glen,
So you suggest cleaning it off then?

Can I ask why you use the starch? There's not much in this world that I'm allergic to, but starch is a no-go for me. I'd hate to see what it would do if residue on a razor got into fresh skin during a shave!

Why is pretty stupid hehehehe The barber that taught me about straight razors 30 years ago told me that was what he did, and it has worked since...

I guess hair spray or perhaps water could work too or maybe just the chalk, I honestly have never done it any other way...
I have tried the Dovo white it works good and I have tried the TI also and it works really good but it is a tiny bit abrasive...
I also tried plain old Turtle Wax Polishing compound and it is better then both the others for "smoothness" but it turns black very fast...

Oh yeah I would clean it off, if I don't know what it is I won't use it...

Just a thought...the spray starch is probably to hold the chalk in and nothing more. So if the hairspray idea doesn't work, you might want to look into an artist's fixative, maybe for pastels. If it will keep pastel dust from coming off paper, it should hold chalk to a strop. Hairspray's probably cheaper and better smelling, though. Either way, you'll probably want to clean the blade with something like alcohol before using it. Good luck, man!

I've got the nylon brush, hot water, and turtle wax. Do you have to clean out the turtle wax when it turns black? I've only ever used it in automotive applications.

Chalk is easy to come by, and I've actually got fixative-but I'd worry about it and hair spray gumming things up. I might just try the strop with chalk on it.

Question: Do you chalk the strop while it's still wet? Or do you wait for it to dry and then chalk it?


Thanks for the tips Glen and DB,