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What is the purpose of neatsfoot oil?

Just wondering about this. I have a paddle strop that I used for about a week just on the bare leather. Larry at Whipped Dog said it could be used either way, but he recommended oiling it with neatsfoot oil. So I finally did.

I can't really tell any real difference. I'm wondering if anybody could explain to me what the neatsfoot oil is supposed to accomplish, or how it should make the strop different? Thanks in advance.
 

Claudel Xerxes

Staff member
It's supposed to soften and protect the leather. I've used it once or twice on a couple of my strops, but I haven't applied it in over two years. My strops seem to be doing fine without it. I'm not a daily straight razor shaver though, so one of the more experienced guys might have a different appreciation for it.
 
I’ve shaved SR every other day for the about last month...besides the nicks and scratches I’ve put in the strop myself, my strop is doing fine so far. The only thing I do otherwise has been to rub it down here and there with my palms in the mornings after my natural oils have built up over night.

Mine is a poor man’s and I’ve yet to use the Neatsfoot it came with.
 
Neatsfoot oil is a purified oil obtained from cattle. As such it makes an excellent leather dressing. The idea behind it is you are putting back what was there to begin with. Some leathers dry quicker than others, but if they get old enough, all will want a little dressing sooner or later. I like neatsfoot oil, but my favorite is a mix of neatsfoot oil and beeswax.
 

Legion

Staff member
I just rub my palm on the strop for a few seconds before use, and the oil in my skin keeps the strop going just fine. It is very easy to over do the application of neatsfoot oil and bugger a strop up.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I just rub my palm on the strop for a few seconds before use, and the oil in my skin keeps the strop going just fine. It is very easy to over do the application of neatsfoot oil and bugger a strop up.

This. You can always apply another drop or two, but you can't take it away very easily.
 
A) What happens to the leather if you accidentally put too much oil on it?

B) Even if you did, wouldn't it wear away over time?
 
It’s best to add oil or any other strop treatment slow as once it’s added in you cannot take it back out.

I have added oils and other products heavy handed before and ruined strips as most treatment will change the draw a certain amount
 
A) What happens to the leather if you accidentally put too much oil on it?

B) Even if you did, wouldn't it wear away over time?

If it is only a tiny bit over done then yes you are correct and time will fix the problem. If you need to speed the oil removal I recommend using several microfiber cloths with a very small amount of rubbing alcohol on the first. Scrub scrub scrub and then follow it with dry ones.
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Too much oil can sort of be corrected. Try packing the strop in Bentonite clay or kitty litter, the clay kind, unused preferably. Either will eventually suck a lot of the oil out of the strop. And in the future hopefully the indignity of packing your strop in stuff that the cat pees on, will serve as a shameful memory to reinforce the lesson learned. Solvents will help speed the process but I just don't like solvents on a strop. Oh, you could also try saddle soap or dish soap. Either would be fairly low impact.
 
The classic way to break in a baseball glove!

"Neat" is an archaic word for bovine. The phrase "neat's leather" pops up twice in the works of Shakespeare (The Tempest and Julius Caesar).
 
If over oiled, leather can rot.

Try wrapping the strop with paper towels and putting some weight on it. Let set for a day or two and change the towels until it stops releasing oil.

Iwasaki recommended soaking in Gasoline in the Rion translation, though some think he meant Kerosene, to remove excess oil.

Dampen the leather with a damp sponge or towel first and allow the water to be absorbed, (10-15 mins) then apply the oil sparingly (about a ½ teaspoon) to a paper towel and rub the towel onto the strop.

Wait a week or two and reapply if needed. Dampening with water first allows the oil to penetrate the leather fully. Once hydrated properly a half teaspoon once a year or two will keep it soft and supple, depending on your condition.

I give mine a couple drops on a paper towel to a damp strop every couple months and judge when by the color and suppleness of the leather. I like Ballistol for treating leather.
 
IMHO it's best used for retoring vintage strops to give them the pliancy they once had. That said, and as advised, use it very sparingly on a daily strop to keep it supple and pliant.

As for stropping qualities I don't think it imparts anything the leather already has.

Chris
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I saw a video of an old barber who applied a small amount of mink oil paste every year so that is what I used. It is sold as a treatment for waterproofing boots and it was something I already had. Worked just fine.
 
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