Any issues with keeping a leather strop in the bathroom? Moisture?

[Brassplyer]

Wondering about where to mount the strop - could the daily temporary spike in humidity in a full bathroom damage the strop over time? Or is that not an issue? I don't have much experience with leather items.

Where do you keep yours?

 

[Legion]

Don’t keep it in the bathroom. Humidity and leather don’t mix. Mine hangs in my bedroom closet.

 

[Tanuki]

Agreed. Hanging in a clothes closet is a pretty standard storage spot. I have never kept mine in the bathroom. I won't even leave a carbon steel straight razor there.

I have a clothes hook on a door inside the bathroom. The strop is there only during my shave. I have a few strops, so the chosen one makes the short trip, then back to storage.

 

[rbscebu]

I keep my daily use strop hanging on the doorknob in my bathroom but my bathroom is well ventilated. My other strops are in my bedroom with my few SR's.

 

[Wid]

I've had a TM strop hanging in the bathroom for years. Can't say I've seen anything bad happen to it in all those years.

 

[Straight up]

Mine has been in the bathroom for the last 15 years and had no problems. It hangs off a cupboard handle and so is low in a well ventilated bathroom.

 

[pwheeler]

I had my first strop hanging in the bathroom. It was a second hand strop. The leather on that developed mildew on it. I've since picked up a couple of Tony Miller strops and those are hanging next to where I sit at my computer and also where I have my straights in storage/display boxes. My bathroom isn't well ventilated and won't take a strop there anymore, or leave a straight in there more than a few hours.

 

[Slash McCoy]

My strops live in the bathroom, but it's not all that humid in there. It is well ventilated and reasonably large, and the central air keeps it reasonably dry. I don't keep my straight razors there, though. Shavettes, injectors, DE's are okay in there but my real razors don't live in the bathroom.

Well tanned leather can stand a little moisture. You sweat in your shoes, and often wade through water in them, right? Well, unless you live in the desert or never go outside, maybe. You probably have a favorite pair of shoes that you have owned for 10 or 20 years. Yeah, some leather is more susceptible to mold and mildew and rot than others. Whenever I have lived on one of my boats, I never kept strops in the head or shower, which are usually combined anyway. I usually shave at the galley sink, where there is more room and I am closer to the stove for hot water in the winter.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I kept mine in a bathroom where the shower wasn't used. I wouldn't want to keep it in a bathroom where people showered.

 

[FarmerTan]

I keep my daily use strop hanging on the doorknob in my bathroom but my bathroom is well ventilated. My other strops are in my bedroom with my few SR's.

You also live in the humidity capitol of the world, I'd bet. Has to be tough for you to escape humidity...

 

[global_dev]

My daily strop has been hanging in a bathroom without issue. Well ventilated, tall ceilings and large enough to not be a problem.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Mine have been in the bathroom for the last three years and none the worse for it. When the missus or I shower the tops of the mirrors get misty with condensation, but living in Southern California (low humidity), with central air, and no door on the master bath (good air circulation) no problems so far.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Depends on the humidity in the bathroom. Invest in a good fan. there is a lot of difference in CFM between a cheap fan and a good one, but good ones are not all that expensive.

Or buy a cheap timer switch and run let the fan run a while. Switches with timers are also inexpensive and easy to install.

 

[jj_sharp]

I keep a small fan in my bath in an effort to dry it out after showers. My strop is hanging in the bath. It serm fine for the strop.

It is humid where I live, but we have air conditioning.

 

[bluesman 7]

I live in dry Colorado and always keep the strop that I'm using hanging in the bathroom. For the last several months I've also been wiping the strop with a damp cloth daily. YMMV

 

[Mempho]

I can testify that my grandfather kept his strop in the bathroom. But that was almost hundred years ago and my guess is he probably bathed once a week. He did have a bathtub -- but of course no shower.