Thread: Ripples in Leather Strop

Got some ripples in a cheap leather strop (My first strop). Not sure how I did that. Can they be sanded out ? If so what grit paper ?

How do you mean ripples? Razor damage or is it actually wavy?

I have brought a few ugly old "wavy" strops back to very flat quite successfully. Take it apart first. Work up a good lather with shaving soap and apply all over the strop side of the leather. Leave it on for a few minutes and then wipe it off with a towel. It will be moist but not wet. Then wrap it in an old flat kitchen towel or sheet. Place on a hard flat surface (a corner my garage on the concrete floor in my case). Put a folded newspaper on top and a 2x4 with a weight on top. Leave it for a week. Worked great for me on two very different strops, a genuine horse shell and thick Russian.

Ripples / wrinkles in the leather caused by me ? Improper Stropping and a cheap strop ? I think too cheap for the amount of detail repair you mention. Just curious about it. The leather appears very thin. I read about using a fine grit sand paper to get out some nicks but the ripples are pretty large. I sould say about 1/16 of an inch rise to them. Could the ripples come from not pulling the strop tight enough when using ? Thanks.

Did it get wet ? Beside the grain the only time I have seen ripple in leather is after it has gotten wet. Steam is wet. It will shrink and crinkle. The solution is as Storsven says. Leather can be shaped by getting it wet and dried in the position you want it to remain.
Wet, flatten, brick yo hold, not that hard.
The other thing that will cause ripples is rolling tight and storing >same fix.

It didnt get wet and we dont shower in that bathroom so no steam. It was an EBAY strop with a straight razor both made in Pakistan. Wish I would have read the things on SRP first, But for $20 it goes to education. The Stainless steel razor is pretty soft. I put some scratches in it with a hone that was too coarse. I have gotten the scratches of the bevel but they are still in the face of the blade so every time the edge wears down a bit the scratches will be there. I am using it to practice honing and stropping. I have acquired a Sheffield Steel SR in good condition, and have to get it sharp enough to shave with. I now have a 1k / 8k Norton and a 12k Chinese Whetstone. I just got a good strop on wood with rubber button feet. Easier for me to use. I just thought I might be able to smooth out the cheap strop for practice as the way it is now I think it will do the opposite of what it should do. There is also a canvas strop with it. Can I used the suede side of the leather to take the moisture of a razor after shaving ?

Lots go the cheap route first . I did. Mine had ripple but they were the grain of the leather. I sanded them down and lightly oiled it. It's smoother and yes good for practice. I now loan it out to new guys to learn on.

I would not get leather wet often. Dry your razor then strop it. In fact LOL I hate getting my razor wet.

Forget the Pakistani razor. It will make a good letter opener but that is it. Don't even try to hone it. Waste of good stone.

You don't have to give up on a basic strop yet. Light sanding with a 400-600 grit wet paper works great on a lightly messed up strop. Flattening it afterwards does do wonders.

Remember when you strop, it is the light touch that does it. No pressing hard on the strop. 25-30 round trips on the fabric, and then 50-60 on the leather (once it is flat and smooth).

As somebody always says in these advice sessions to newbies. Get a old basic restored and professionally honed razor for like $40 from one of the site vendors. That will give you a reference point for further face cutting.

Thanks for the Advice. Appreciated.

Cheap leather and/or processing can cause that. Maybe the cow had the ripples in his hide to begin with. With all the fighting going on around there maybe the cow got a fright and the ripples formed. You never know.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Cheap leather and/or processing can cause that. Maybe the cow had the ripples in his hide to begin with. With all the fighting going on around there maybe the cow got a fright and the ripples formed. You never know.

Who's fighring ?