Thread: Breaking in/Maintaining a nylon webbing strop

Hi all,

I have an American Mountain Strop with D rings, mahogany that I purchased recently from Classic Shaving as part of a kit. It consists of a leather and a nylon webbing strop. Having researched the SRP website I have decided to use fromm strop dressing to maintain my leather strop, but I cannot seem to find any forum that addresses how to break in or how to maintain a web nylon strop. Could someone please offer me some sound advise?

I dont think you should use anything on the webbing. A few hundred stroppings will soften it nicely. As well, my advice would be to avoid the Fromm's at the moment, and spend the next six months rubbing it daily with your hand. You may find that your own body oils will keep the strop very supple.

I prefer to keep all of my strops "dressing" free.

Originally Posted by Maxi

I dont think you should use anything on the webbing. A few hundred stroppings will soften it nicely. As well, my advice would be to avoid the Fromm's at the moment, and spend the next six months rubbing it daily with your hand. You may find that your own body oils will keep the strop very supple.

I prefer to keep all of my strops "dressing" free.

That is great news. I had been reading that, and to hear it from someone with a lot more experience than me kinda sends it home. Two follow-on questions then:

1. Should I clean my hands prior to rubbing the strops?
2. Are their regular cleanings that I should still do even though I will not be using any dressings?

I don't think I would change the oil in my car or work on my engine and start rubbing my strops, but I don't think your hands have to be hospital quality sanitized. If you wash your hands immediately before rubbing your strop then the oils will be washed off and will take alittle bit before they reach the surface again. I will usually rub the base of my palm on my strops to help wipe off dust or anything that might catch the edge.

I use the inside of my wrist to avoid any contamination from stone dust on my hands.

Your hands shouldn't be crazy dirty, but you're looking to have a bit of natural oils on them. If you wash them prior to rubbing your strop, you'll have stripped all of those oils away.

You should rub down your strop(s) with an unwashed hand. You can do it daily if you like, it won't hurt, but will help condition the leather. Your hands should be clean, but unwashed. As mentioned, you want the natural oils in your skin to do the job. I've been doing this for many years with great results.
I never felt the need to do anything else to them. Once you start messing with strop dressings, soap, neetsfoot oil, etc...you will change the draw of the strop. This cannot be undone. I like mine the way they are.

FWIW --

I put a _little_ Fromm's strop dressing on my strops, occasionally. It hasn't done them any harm, but I've only been playing with straight razors for two years or so.

Charles

I've used the Fromm's though these days I use a little neatsfoot oil. I live in single digit humidity and strops really do start to dry out over time. As I age the oil in my hand is about zero.