New SRD Strop

[DESkydiver]

I got a new Straight Razor Designs 3” Black Latigo strop with the felt option. I have been wiping my palm along the length often, but when I bring a razor to it, it seems the spines are picking up some leather like shaving the strop. I go to my Vintage Blades 3” Red Latigo and have no issue, so I don’t believe this is a stropping technique issue.

What are your thoughts? Should I condition the SRD strop with Neatsfoot or Mink oil, or Lexol Leather Conditioner?

 

[Walker]

I have the same issue with my 3" Red Latigo from SRD. It only happens with a few of my razors. I thought it was just my technique, maybe there is something to this.

 

[bladerunner]

You are not alone. I have the same problem with my straights on the black Latigo 3 inch strop. Had an incident last month-I purchased a vintage Hamburg Ring straight on Ebay that had an edge. It seemed the 'plating' was coming off. I stropped it on the Latigo, not noticing some plating was on the spine and put a nick in the strop-Ouch! I sanded it out with 400 grit sand paper and conditoned it with Dovo yellow non-abrasive conditioner. But I still get the occassional residue of black latigo on the blade. Starshaving on Ebay makes nice Latigo felt wool strops for a fration of the price, plus he sells restored-honed vintage razors from time to time.

 

[DESkydiver]

I also posted the same question at SRP and I got a couple answers that made sense to me anyhow... Apparently the Latigo strop gets some form of plastic or wax coating during the process and it is some of that coating that is coming off. I repeated the process and took a closer look and what is coming off, which curls up into itself and does feel more like wax or plastic as compared to leather.
Additionally, other comments suggested that this experience should only be happening for a couple weeks, if that, of daily use.

 

[Walker]

I have had my SRD for about 6 months now and It still does it. Only when i use certain straights though. My TM horsehide has never done it and i just got a TM Latigo and the one time i used it it also didn't do it. It has not left a shaved patch on the SRD though. I don't know what it is but it is almost like Latigo dust that is on my straight after stropping. Baffling!

 

[heirkb]

In general, I'm not a fan of latigo, because it can "shed" or feels like it's going to (even when it doesn't). I would recommend the English Bridle or Premium I from SRD, having tried both.
If you want latigo and SRD strops have this problem, perhaps it'd be best to buy latigo strops elsewhere (VB?). I don't know from experience, though...

 

[dakotaev]

I have a TM 3" Latigo strop that gives the same red waxy residue on the spine of the blade. This leads me to believe its more of the leather type and the way it was treated than an actual problem with SRD strops per-se.

Hopefully that helps put you at ease.

 

[ShavedZombie]

Walker, your latigo strop shed a little too, when I first got it... I've been workign on the surface of it for a long time, so it no longer sheds, and has slightly lighter draw than when I got it... Feels more secure when stropping that way (IMO).

Most latigos have this curly residue... That's why, when I work with latigo, I resurface it first... It does lessen after a while, but will take a long time to fully vanish

 

[luvmysuper]

Interesting.