Assuming you are using the strop without any compound on it, the very best leather to use is Vegetable-tanned Horsehide that has been treated as 'Russian Red.' This means the leather has been worked to cause the natural silicates in the leather to migrate to the surface. If you can't get horsehide, the next best is veg-tanned cowhide.
You will NOT be able to find any tannery that produces 'Russian Red' horsehide or cowhide these days, so you will have to treat the leather yourself. It's easy to do but takes a bit of time.
Start with 8-10oz or 10-12oz leather. Wet the leather by either dipping it for a second or two in a bowl of warm water, or run it under the tap for a second or two. Shake off all the excess water. Wrap the leather in cling film for 30-60 minutes. Remove it and let it dry for about an hour. It should now almost have the consistency of modeling clay. Place it hair-side down on a marble cutting board or countertop, and with a heavy rolling pin, roll on the leather for 20-30 minutes. Yes, it will get thinner. The thickness doesn't matter as you will be mounting it on a backing board. If you want a free-hanging barber-type strop, start with thicker leather. The longer you roll the leather, the more you force the silicates to the surface. When finished rolling, allow the strop to dry out of direct sunlight. When dry, use Contact Cement (which is flexible when dry. Epoxy is not.) to glue your leather to a backing board. After the glue dries, rub in just a few pea-sized dots of any good neutral shoe cream (NOT shoe polish.) This will revitalize the leather. Do not overdo this. 2-3 pea-sized dots is more than enough for a large strop. Redo the shoe cream once a year. Enjoy your strop! If cared for, this strop will be something your kids will pass on to their grandkids. Good strops don't wear out.
Stitchawl
