Hard stiff and ridged help

[RedsFan75]

Due to life issues I went an extended length of time not using my straights, and so likewise my strop. When I did get the chance to get back to them I found a problem with my strop.
It's not an expensive strop, it's a Scalp Master I got off Amazon when I first started straight shaving.

About 5" from the top of the 17" stropping area a hard spot has developed. It extends about 2" across the face of the strop and has this hard block feel. It has stiff ridges and cracks and almost no flex to it.
I've been working it, rubbing with my hands, rolling it with a glass, neatsfoot oiled it, run a dozen or more knife blades across it, I even warmed it by leaving it in the cab of my pickup while at work, and while it is better than it was, it's still not what I want to run my razors across.
I tried to get a picture of the area, which was a challenge.

Any input greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Dick peck]

When I get a tough strop I sand with 1000 grit sand paper then use a leather lotion I got at boot store. Then I hang in closet for a few days then check it out. Sometimes I apply lotion again and wait. If it's your only strop maybe limit bottom half for use and give top half time to soften from the oil treatment. Good luck.

 

[Alum of Potash]

That looks like an area that might have been left slightly bent or folded for too long at some point.

Reconditioning a strop is an art in itself. As with honing, too heavy a hand at the wrong time can take things in the wrong direction.

To recondition an old strop, I've coated the stropping surface with tallow-based lather (Stirling), just as if I were to shave with it. After leaving the lather on the surface for a few moments, I've very lightly gone over the surface with a flat pumice stone (available from Classic Shaving), working over the surface equally with a circular motion. Then the lather is wiped off with a damp sponge and fresh lather is reapplied to the surface. Let this dry overnight, then brush off the dried lather. Finally, with a dedicated round burnisher for cabinet-making or a sanded and polished heavy screwdriver shaft, the leather surface is burnished by moving the burnisher up and down the strop's length (burrs on the burnisher or screwdriver shaft can leave scratches--so it needs to be smoothed). At this point, the strop should be ready for use. Beyond this, repeat the same sequence as mentioned. Finally, if it still needs something, I rub in some Meltonian leather balm or equivalent leather conditioner (although these have waxes which will change the leather's feel--which is not necessarily bad if you like slickness).

 

[RedsFan75]

That helps a lot Alum. I have a lot of that stuff already. I'll give that a go.

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[RedsFan75]

Big thanks Alum, worked great, stropping well now.

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