Thread: Linen Strop Cleaning and Reconditioning

WARNING....That green stamp is fragile and will disappear with even a little bleach and or heavy scrubbing.
I soaked 2 over night that were almost black and 1 had the same stamp. The whitest strops I ever cleaned. Including where the print was.
Lost some on another scrubbing.

And Phrank you need to find some of this


I have yet to try Richards hanging method but it is a proven success. I lay mine out on hot concrete and press them flat. Advantage of living in a desert. Some days it will dry in an hour or 2 :<0)

Thanks 10Pups - I used two dime sized dollops of Fromm Strop Dressing, and the strop sucked it right in...worked it in thoroughly with a dry cloth and it's hanging now to dry.

The linen I kept the green logo away from any soap, just a little damping with a wet cloth, it faded a bit, but still there clearly, it's hanging to dry now as well - turned out fairly nice, was very dirty.

The leather is obviously great quality, once I got the strop dressing/conditioner in, I could see that it had been used extensively, could see the stropping lines from all the previous use, really looks like a great vintage strop, and the linen seems a real bonus. Will post a pic of it tomorrow.

Thanks!

That first 1 I cleaned I am still using every day. Softer than all of the other vintage strops I have and feels great doing laps on it. It needs a quick clean now but it's not yucky or anything. Glad it's on the linen and not my leather.

The Fromm is probably better. Just showing off my Duck stuff. The Duck strops and linens are not presentable :<0(

Originally Posted by Geezer

Thanks guys for good information!
Here's my method, Works well, for me ...if you have two linen components. Old pants hangers and the closures of them were bent to increase tension.:
Attachment 187365
Washed with washing machine then spotted with a brush and laundry detergent back into the machine for another wash and rinsing. The back single got a weight also.
~Richard

My what thin legs you have!!

I use Dawn dish detergent and pat them as dry as I can then lay them out flat on a towel. Works well for me

Well first go round I think it turned out fantastic - thinking these are very nice strops. The linen side has hardened up, thinking it may have been a harder linen like an Illinois #827...either way, the leather on this strop is superb.

Cold water soak in Woolite or knock off cold water wash from the dollar store, you don’t need much, follow directions.

Warm or hot water will set stains and cause fibers to shrink and lump up. Scrub with a stiff brush and change water and soap frequently until water stays clean. A large 5 dollar concrete mixing tub works well for soaking.

Dry flat in the Sun, it is amazing how much Sun will bleach white. Geezers pants hanger looks like a great idea, hang in the sun.

Linen yarn, spun from relatively long staple flax, is very tough even as a thin woven cloth. Easy to wrinkle and, with heat and moisture, easy to flatten.


These ladies have it right: How to Clean Vintage Linens | the crafty sisters

Linen strop before 3x1hour soaks with boiling water, OxyClean and a final scrub with a nylon brush and Dawn dishwashing detergent.

EDIT: heads up on boiling water and OxyClean - the stuff foams up like a madman. If you do this, use a tall-ish pot, filled with enough water to cover the strop; remove the pot from heat (like, into the sink), put in the strop then slowly add the OxyClean. First time I did this I covered the stove with white froth - not ruinous but a nuisance.

After:

I have a vintage linen strop too. Great tips, thanks.