How to remove old compound from strop?

Geode

Geode

Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
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Not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but I figured makers would know the answer to this one.

Do you guys have any tips on how to get the old compound off of a leather strop without damaging the leather surface?

Thanks in advance.
 
Is the surface smooth, or rough? How much compound is on it?

You can take compound off with acetone - won't hurt the leather too much.

If the leather's not smooth (rough side) you can just rub it on some medium emery cloth to open it back up.

Why do you need to remove it?
 
After trying several solutions I have found that Ronson lighter fluid works the best for me.
 
Interesting question, an dsome good answers. For some reason(don't have a stroip, had jsut made assumption) always thought strop was like buffing wheels, basically that once you have a compopund on it, you're pretty much stuck with just using that compound on that side. Thanks
 
Daniel Koster said:
Is the surface smooth, or rough? How much compound is on it?

You can take compound off with acetone - won't hurt the leather too much.

If the leather's not smooth (rough side) you can just rub it on some medium emery cloth to open it back up.

Why do you need to remove it?
Click to expand...

Daniel - some good questions. The surface is smooth and I want to remove the older compound because it is fairly well loaded with metal and is not cutting very well now. I want to re-apply a coat of compound that will remove a little steel.

I use the strop as a very fine finishing abradant.
 
another question (sorry, but it affects my answer)

Is this a traditional strop or a mounted strop?
 
Just plain old Naptha, which is the main ingredient in lighter fluid, as mentioned above. Kerosene works great also.

Once the strop is clean, dampen it with kerosene again before reapplying abrasive, to help the new compound stick to it.
 
Excellent tips, thanks.

Daniel - the strop is mounted on a wooden paddle.
 
Mike Hull,

I have a nice double sided strop. One side rouged and the other not. Mine has not been used enough yet to be concerned about. I wonder though, why would one want to remove the rouge? Is it because the strop loads up? Is it because the rouge gets packed in too tightly. Both?

Thanks.

RL
 
rlinger said:
Mike Hull,

I have a nice double sided strop. One side rouged and the other not. Mine has not been used enough yet to be concerned about. I wonder though, why would one want to remove the rouge? Is it because the strop loads up? Is it because the rouge gets packed in too tightly. Both?

Thanks.

RL
Click to expand...

I can only quote the thread starter in a post above.

Quote "
Daniel - some good questions. The surface is smooth and I want to remove the older compound because it is fairly well loaded with metal and is not cutting very well now. I want to re-apply a coat of compound that will remove a little steel."

:confused:
 
I typically use wd40 and a rag rub it right off then clean the leather with some dish soap and water. Let it dry overnight and reapply the compound

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
if its the rough side i use sand paper. then i apply a leather shoe restore compound to keep the leather fresh so to say. something without waxes. i searched bladeforums for it, i dont recall what it was off hand.

then re-apply stroping compound after a day or two of that setting in. as for the smooth side, i dont have a smooth side strop atm, so i dunno.

the problem with many things mentioned here, is it will dry the leather out, you should treat it afterwords.
 
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