Clean your strop?????

G

gazaati

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I got my first strop. on the rough side grains of leather fall off when I strop against the grain.

Should I always strop with the grain of the leather?

Or is it because its new and I can strop in both directions. Hope you can understand what I am trying to say :o


2- Can I use olive oil or other house hold oils to maintain the leather strop?

I have no access to leather oil.

Cheers :)
 
i strop both ways on the rough side of the leather...i think its just a matter of breaking it in.

another thing i have heard alot of is to use the smooth side instead of the rough side...i didn't know this when i made my strop and haven't had any issues yet.

i don't use any oil or anything on my strop to maintain, just fresh compound every once in a while. some people totally clean off thier strops every time they use them, including washing them and putting on all fresh compound...i don't do this, and haven't had any problems.
 
My strop is two-sided...hard/smooth and the rougher side. The rougher side, I added the stopping compound and the smooth side, I leave as is. For just touching up an edge, I use the smooth side.

ROCK6
 
Olive oil will work to maintain the leather itself. Mink oil or Brooks prooide would be betterm but lots of reenactor cowboy gear is finished in olive oil.
 
Olive Oil goes rancid and shouldn't be used to maintain leather.
 
I just strop on my work pants/shorts. They always have a good layer of dirt worked in, and I always have them with me.

Well. Most always!

Andy
 
my belt is my strop, works fine and no compound, I suspect I would see the difrence if I had a dedicated strop with compound however.
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
I just strop on my work pants/shorts. They always have a good layer of dirt worked in, and I always have them with me.

Well. Most always!

Andy
Click to expand...

This sounds kinda dumb, but I do the same thing with my work overalls. My work knife is a kershaw blackout that is mostly used to slice open 50 lb paper bags. Stopping on the thick cotton on my thigh works quite well to bring back the edge. I use my sharpmaker every few days.
 
I use a specially treated smooth side of leather, but on yours, I wouldn't worry about the bits of leather coming off. Just strop both ways and I think you will find it works well. And that is, afterall the point! :)
 
I use shaving cream, because the strop I have came from a barber when he was forced to give up the razor. That is what he used and it works.
 
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