Devastated! Please come in with advice.

[Skarkowtsky]

So, I finally got around to restoring my antique Nev-A-Hone two-piece strop. With the lightest of touches, I gently sanded the strop with 600 sandpaper to silky perfection. I followed with a lather brush application of Saddle Soap, wiped away by a damp (virtually dry) was cloth, and confirmed with an actual dry wash cloth.

My handling of the strop throughout the process was featherlight. I went to flip to the second strop (canvas) and the stitching that joins the two crumbled and both strops separated. Note: I never touched the leather seam during step one.

I brush-cleaned the canvas strop with soapy water, and both are now drying flat.

Thankfully, the stitching holes on the leather strop and leather seam that joins the two are intact and also not stretched in anyway. I think it was just the threads time to go (this strop is over 100 years old).

Should I hand-stitch through all the original holes? I'm worried that a professional will have to trim the 3/4" to start new stitching on intact leather, thus shortening the strop and also charging a lot of money.

The good news is that it all cleaned up beautifully.

What to do???

 

[joamo]

Pics will help but it sounds like you should be able to restitch it using a saddle stitch.

Saddle stitch

Note you would NOT need to awl new holes or need to use the clamp, just the 2 needle stitching with waxed linen thread. Back stitch 2 holes and cut the thread flush on each side to finish, no need to knot the thread.

 

[Skarkowtsky]

Thank you! Out of curiosity, I tested the rest of the strop and all the stitches came undone. The strop is now pieced apart, I gave the canvas a 20 minute bleaching, and it's now drying.

This turned into a full restoration in no time. Will post pics of the pieced-apart strop, and pics of my progress.

John

 

[cb91710]

I gave the canvas a 20 minute bleaching, and it's now drying.

I hope it survives. I would not have bleached 100 year old canvas. I had a 5 minute dip in Oxy-Clean completely disintegrate the edges of the bill of a hat, and I've burned holes through jeans in less than 20 minutes.

 

[Skarkowtsky]

cb,

The canvas is alive and well. Feels and looks great. Here's a pic of phase one of the restoration.

 

[joamo]

Lightly condition just the leather handles and seam with neatsfoot oil.
Try to find blunt harness needles that won't stretch the punched holes and waxed linen thread, if there is a Tandy leather near you they will have both of those.
You can, if you position the pieces precisely, use contact cement to hold everything together but you can do without gluing also. Extra needles can be used to "pin" and position the parts together.
I would sew the handles starting just below where the strop sits beginning on one side, down the curve, all the way around to the opposite before sewing onto the strop or canvas.
Work slow and carefully, you may have to wiggle the needle just a bit going through the canvas.
PM me if you have any other questions or concerns about it and I'll try to help.