New belt...what to do with the old one?

[prsfx]

I got a new belt today, want to use my old one as a hanging strop, not to use with compound. Is there anything I can do to bring some life back into the leather or prep it for use as a strop? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[umberto00]

Mink oil or saddle soap will bring leather back to life

 

[Morrow]

Threads like this belong in Maintenance, Tinkering & Embellishment which is where this is headed.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

May not need much. I'm sure some saddle soap will clean it up. And some leather conditioner afterwards (I use Lexol on mine), applied periodically, to keep it from getting too dry. I'd avoid using leather polishes/waxes, or any conditioners with wax in them. That'll just clog the leather, and defeat it's usefulness for stropping.

If the belt is any other 'color' besides natural/tan (vegetable-tanned or bark-tanned), like black, etc., it may or may not work as well as true bare leather. Sometimes the tanning or dyeing methods for 'colored' leather will strip many of the natural silicates from it, or otherwise cover/coat the leather. Same holds true for some cheaper belts that may be coated in wax/plastic material.

 

[prsfx]

Thanx everyone, I appreciate the info. And sorry about postplacement, still getting to know the forum.

 

[davek14]

I've been known to charge a belt with valve grinding compound. It makes it more aggressive than a conventional strop, of course. Won't really scratch a blade surpisingly, the big grit sinks into the leather.