Thread: The traditional way to break in a new strop?

Originally Posted by jdto

Urine has some bleaching properties and I know tanners used to use urine during the tanning process, but I can't see a reason for using it after the fact.

The Romans use human urine to bleach their togas white. Over the years it's been a great cure all for all sorts of things: athletics foot cure in ww1 and other wars; and even now by some farm workers for cuts doing field work. Piss and vinegar were the cures of the day.

Originally Posted by Theseus

I was told that cow brains were used at one time to break in leather as well.

I understand the use of cow brains as in a lot of applications a fluid from that area was used in the tanning process, however the use of urine is a new one to me. Gotta love the old days; they utilized what they had to make things work.

Tea leaves can be used in place of urine. It is the tannic acid that one is after. There are many different ways, but the base chemicals I teractions are what one is after. Urine was one of the first methods I learned for tanning.