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I have a relatively new Ill 361 strop. The canvas stropping is no problem. The leather side feels like it's almost
too smooth, like there's not enough drag. I think it's too hard. Does it just need to break in or is there something I
can put on it to soften/condition it. I know there are a lot of products I can get but would am not sure which one, or
which class of ones to get. I appreciate any advice. Thanks.
Just rub the strop with the palms of your hands either when you wake up or later in the day. Do it daily, your strop will love it and you will soon begin feeling the difference in the sensation you are feeling through your razor as you strop. It's all good.
Thanks for the quick response. I will try "palm oil" as suggested, certainly easy to do and inexpensive.
Your welcome. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well this simple action works.
My opnion is you should not dress in drag... What? Wrong "drag?... Sorry.. Never mind then...
I agree with Iz6 on the palm oil treatment but just FYI .... I have a blond horsehide strop that felt like I was stropping on glass. So just for the heck of it I applied some neatsfoot oil to a rag and gave the strop a light coat. A little goes a very long way. Next day I gave it a try and I could feel some draw. As much as I wanted from the one application.
Just use it to administer corporal punishment to the kiddies and that will soften it up rite quick.
Really as long as it does it's job why worry about it.
My Italian barber once told me to put shaving lather on an old dried out strop he gave me-it seemed to make it less beef-jerky like, but I'm not sure if that applies to a new strop and he's out of town fo the winter. Any thoughts?
I lather mine heavily every month whether it needs it or not. I allow it to dry overnight, then wipe off the residue the next day. Then I use my palm to work whatever is left into the strop. The increase in draw is remarkable. I would certainly do this with a new strop.
^^^^^^ what he said
I wouldn't put lather or soap on any of my strops, but to each his own. I like the draw they came with. TBH, I think draw is over rated. I've always felt, if you want more draw, buy a latigo strop. If you want less, buy horsehide. On new strops, I rub them down with the palm of my hand, that's it. If I'm restoring a vintage strop, I've used saddle soap to clean the leather, then I'd retreat it with neetsfoot oil. If you have a Tandy leather by you, Talk to them about leather treatment. I've found them to be very helpful. Leather is Leather.
TMK, Illinois strops do require a break-in period, unlike other brands like TM and SRD. As previously mentioned, palm rubbing is a good trick. But the best way to break it in is by far the easiest - by using it :D
Have fun.
Rubbing with the palm works great by increments. Oils and conditioners could be overkill and make it slick as glass! You cannot undo that, so the above advise is very good!
I must disagree sir....Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
I only have one strop and I will be amiss if I should damage it on the backside of my little darlings.
Of course getting another strop might remedy this situation - until then, 'tis the belt for them!
I am a true lather condition believer/user. I take a glass beer bottle and lay my strops on a flat board work the lather into the leather with the bottle. You won't believe how much it improves the drag and feedback you get until you try it.
Leather dries out if you don't put some conditioner on it from time to time. Any leather. Personally, I am with the group that oils rather heavily because it makes the strop more supple, preserves it and allows the natural resistance from the leather to be the most pronounced. At least with the leather that I use, but I make my own straps from latigo. I have several very good old factory strops, and those I oil less, because the leather seems to call for less. But whatever gives you the results you are looking for as long as you don't let your strop dry out to the degree that it starts to disintegrate would be hard to argue with. Had a find old Pike strop do that on me.