Thread: Confused about strop

Hello,

Just recently got this leather strop at an antique store.

Are you familiar with the brand? Is this a decent one?

Also is the side to use the one with the brand name on it?


I have included some pics.

Thanks all

The shell is a fibrous muscle tissue on the butt end of a horse and is some of the best material for stropping according to some. If the leather is in good condition, relatively smooth and free of nicks or divots, it ought to be very good. Yes, usually the side with the logo is the side to use to strop with.

Just noticed you asked this same stuff in another thread so I merged these two together. If you are not getting answered quickly enough do not start yet another thread with the same topic/questions. Have patience and someone will be along to answer your questions. You seem to have a lot of them.

You can also go to the beginner's guide in the SRP library here which will answer most of them if you have the patience to read through it. If you are going to successfully learn straight razor shaving and maintenance you'll need patience. One thing you can't buy.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The shell is a fibrous muscle tissue on the butt end of a horse and is some of the best material for stropping according to some. If the leather is in good condition, relatively smooth and free of nicks or divots, it ought to be very good.

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IMO horse butt is more easily sanded than a softer cut like say, bridle. I bought enough butt to make 3 strops and sanding is no problem because the leather is very firm. I remember using 4 different grits of sandpaper to achieve the fine feel I was looking for on the stropping surface.

JERRY
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Originally Posted by mrsell63

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IMO horse butt is more easily sanded than a softer cut like say, bridle. I bought enough butt to make 3 strops and sanding is no problem because the leather is very firm. I remember using 4 different grits of sandpaper to achieve the fine feel I was looking for on the stropping surface.

JERRY
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Jerry you're more knowledgeable about this than I am. I thought that once the top (polished) grain leather was gone there was no going back to that smooth a surface no matter what a person treated or sanded it with ? I have an old dubl duck 53 that I threw in a corner because it came to me too crusty to use. I figured sanding wouldn't do any good. Maybe I'll give it a shot. What grits do you recommend ?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Jerry you're more knowledgeable about this than I am. I thought that once the top (polished) grain leather was gone there was no going back to that smooth a surface no matter what a person treated or sanded it with ? I have an old dubl duck 53 that I threw in a corner because it came to me too crusty to use. I figured sanding wouldn't do any good. Maybe I'll give it a shot. What grits do you recommend ?

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Jimmy

Try not to begin sanding with a coarser grit than you need. I would start with a 180 grit wrapped around a sanding block to see if it is going to get rid of all the surface imperfections. Don't go below 150 grit. You will need 4 or 5 grit levels to do the job. Take the grit to at least that of fine or even extra fine emery cloth. Emery is very sturdy and won't tear for you.

When you think you have the surface you are looking for, saddle soap the strop and while still wet, "gently" rub it with a scotch bottle. When the leather is dry, you can give it a strop treatment and a vigorous rubbing with the scotch bottle. If you are a bit short of cash, use a ketchup bottle!!!

I have an Heirloom Horsebutt that I sanded to a fine suede finish and then rubbed it. Please let me know if this works for you.

JERRY
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