Thread: Basic question on drag

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