Question about loading a strop.

[Thumber]

New question. I have a two sides leather suede strop I have been using bare.

I just bought this compound at the Japanese knife shop here in town (can't describe how hard it is to go in and not come home with a new knife).

My question is what technique do I use to load the strop. And what side? I assumed the leather side but the guys at the shop said they prefer the suede side for more even loading. Said the leather side clumps at times.

They load the suede side, strop on that and finish on bare leather. Is this a good approach?

Thoughts and guidance appreciated.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

(...)

My question is what technique do I use to load the strop. And what side? I assumed the leather side but the guys at the shop said they prefer the suede side for more even loading. Said the leather side clumps at times.

They load the suede side, strop on that and finish on bare leather. Is this a good approach?

Thoughts and guidance appreciated.

That's exactly what I would do with that strop; they've given you good advice. In the past, I've even sanded smooth leather to give it that sueded texture, for the purpose of making it take and hold the compound more easily and evenly. In loading the sueded side, just use the compound stick like a crayon, and rub it on that way. It doesn't need to look perfectly even; just don't put it on too thick. Just enough to make the sueded leather look like green-tinted suede; that's all it needs. A diagonal cross-hatched pattern of 'crayon' strokes works well to apply it fairly evenly. You can rub it down with a paper towel afterwards, which will spread it around a bit, and remove the excess compound that will otherwise just come off anyway. The strop only needs as much as the leather will hold by itself; anything that comes off won't be of any additional use anyway, so don't worry about rubbing it off with the paper towel.


David

 

[DeadboxHero]

A dab of vasaline rubbed on the leather before appling compund helps evenly coat the compound on the strop. It seems to almost "melt" the compound into the leather

 

[David Martin]

Neats Foot oil works and I've used mineral oil as the carrier agent. It's not complicated. DM

 

[Thumber]

Ok so I applied to the very smooth suede side. This side has almost no nap you can feel. Applied compound, warmed it over a stove top element and then rubbed with paper towel to remove excess. Should I keep repeating this process or is this fine?

This what it looked like before

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

^^That should be fine to get started. Over time, as you use and 'refresh' the strop with new compound, the green tinting will even up and become more uniform in appearance. From a functional standpoint, you're 'good to go' as is. :thumbup:

The main thing to remember is, don't over-apply compound. The compound which embeds into the leather is what's doing the work, and all the rest that doesn't have a hold on the leather will just be in the way, and won't really be of any benefit.


David