Thread: Nicked Strop

Noob questions; sorry all. I have a strop that I've nicked a couple times. One of the nicks took the top layer of leather off, small spot about 1/16th wide and 2/8ths long on one edge of the strop, and I'd like to know if that's gong to dull my razor when i go over it? There are also a couple places that I've "scratched". can't really say they are nicked through the first layer of leather, but will that also affect the blades edge going over it?

Thanks

Pics, please!

I'll put one up in a couple hours when i get home. thanks

Most nicked strops can be sanded down and made usable again. At least, that is my experience.

Sounds like they probably will not impact too heavily. What you want is a reasonably smooth transition at the boundaries of those areas. If that is not the case, you can gently sand or pumice the areas in question - you are not necessarily trying to make the whole strop surface the same level again, rather you are trying to make the boundaries of the nicks meld with the rest of the leather.

If the divot is a thickish leather flap, people have had success sticking it back down with contact cement. If it is a very thin flap (sounds like this is the case), you can either cut the flap off before sanding/pumicing or you can sand/pumice it off.

Of course, don't sand or pumice if you do not have to - assess the depth and feel of the nicks by running your hand over the strop as if you were rubbing it for conditioning, and see whether it feels smooth or whether it feels sharp. If the former, you are probably good; if the latter you may need to smooth it over.

And finally, if you do sand or pumice those areas be careful to try to remove any embedded grit from the sandpaper or pumice stone afterwards. I've had some success doing this just by simply wiping the area down with a wet cloth or using one of those non-scratch scouring pad doohickies.

Don't forget to perhaps treat the strop with conditioner after sanding.

Good luck.

James.

Pics will help, As mentioned, some "flaps" can be glued back down easily, and if done correctly, the repair is just about undectable.
Sanding would be the last option IMO.

here are some pictures.

First picture is the spot i was talking about. i can feel a little bump in the nicked spot. the second pic is another location i think i can glue and pumise stone, and the third picture are some spots where the leather has been scratched but not really cut or nicked. My main concern is going over the first picture area with my blade. the second picture is at the bottom of my strop and for now i've just avoided the area as there is plenty of strop left to use, but the first picture spot i will need to go over to strop.

thanks for any help

Hey Groth:
3rd pic is of no concern.
2nd pic needs to be glued down. It's pretty easy to do.
1st pic doesn't look serious, but if you can feel a bump some minor damage has been done. As another member wrote, sanding is a last resort, but it's really the only thing I can think of to satisfactorily flatten it. Just out of curiosity, have you tried hand-rubbing it to try and flatten it? If you do and the "bump" goes away and then reappears later, I think sanding will be in order. Hope this helps.

Don't sweat it. Leave 'em. They will make you strop more carefully in the future . Leather is not going to hurt your blade. Rather than sanding, try one of the maroon scotchbrite pads on the scratches and small nicks.