I got this Dubl Duck strop and need some help. I had to do a light sanding on it to get rid of the few spots of embedded grit of some sorts. The dark spots are not cuts it just got something on it. Leather feels the same by touch. Here's the problem. It was folded before and now is all sorts of wonky. luckily when I pull it taught to strop on it I cant even tell it was folded. Worst case scenario i just deal with it being wonky since it works great. Is there any way to get it to lay flat again? Here are pics.
Help with new strop
- Thread starter Suhrim21
- Start date
C clamp the bottom between two wood blocks, weight it With a lb or two till it’s straight and give it a good lather cleaning and buff it dry with a soft towel while it’s hanging.
I have an otherwise flawless red imp strop that has a slight bend like yours. I may try Ians advice as well. It's been hanging for over a year and hasn't gotten any better.
Try a screwdriver or a hanging rolling pin. Make sure it is hydrated and do some even and smooth strokes.
The second picture was a strop that looked like yours. Works like a charm!
The second picture was a strop that looked like yours. Works like a charm!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Shell can take a lot of neglect and abuse and still make a comeback. Ordinary cowhide sometimes doesn't recover very well from being bent or rolled or folded spindled or mutilated.
A good rubdown and light brushing with saddle soap never hurt a piece of leather yet, IMHO. If you give it a good cleaning with saddle soap and a soft brush, the hydration will make the leather very pliable and it will hold its shape when it dries. Stretching it gently with some weight works really well when you do that. If you have some neatsfoot oil, dribble a little bit into your hand, rub your hands together, and rub the strop, when it is nearly dry from the saddle soap. Then rub it with a smooth glass bottle or beer glass or something. The screwdriver trick works, too. The more you rub it, the better it gets, Go easy on the neatsfoot. A little dribble will do ya. Two dribbles is too much. That's horse shell, not cowhide.
A good rubdown and light brushing with saddle soap never hurt a piece of leather yet, IMHO. If you give it a good cleaning with saddle soap and a soft brush, the hydration will make the leather very pliable and it will hold its shape when it dries. Stretching it gently with some weight works really well when you do that. If you have some neatsfoot oil, dribble a little bit into your hand, rub your hands together, and rub the strop, when it is nearly dry from the saddle soap. Then rub it with a smooth glass bottle or beer glass or something. The screwdriver trick works, too. The more you rub it, the better it gets, Go easy on the neatsfoot. A little dribble will do ya. Two dribbles is too much. That's horse shell, not cowhide.
I've got a shell hardware strop that sat folded in someone's drawer for far too long, causing a rise in the middle. I've used it for over seven years and tried a number things to remove the hump, but it is still there to some extent. That said, it's one of my favorite strops, if not my favorite. As for the hump, it really isn't an issue when stropping. I just strop through it and it gives way every time during the pass.
A word of caution regarding the screwdriver shank-smoothing method as recommended above: make sure that the shank is smooth before doing this. I once applied the shank of a screwdriver with an undetected burr of metal standing proud to a strop I was seeking to restore, leaving some significant scratching.
A word of caution regarding the screwdriver shank-smoothing method as recommended above: make sure that the shank is smooth before doing this. I once applied the shank of a screwdriver with an undetected burr of metal standing proud to a strop I was seeking to restore, leaving some significant scratching.
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Humps from folds take a long time to dissipate, sometimes years.
I really wish people wouldn't fold them.
Yep, polish the shank of your screwdriver with some w/d.
Sorry Alan
I really wish people wouldn't fold them.
Yep, polish the shank of your screwdriver with some w/d.
Sorry Alan
No worries Paul. Part of it had to do with masking off the non-resurfaced areas with tape, leading to an abrupt contrast. Now to make the surface as nice as Toro Blanco's! A heavy dose of Dovo strop conditioner has been a temptation for quite some time. Out soon with the tile-cutter.
Will you power buff it to get the same surface?
I recently removed the Dovo Leather Balm from a strop that was given to me. Apparently its the same as their yellow paste which is non abrasive. I'm not actually sure if it was the paste or the waxy treatment to the leather itself that made it grabby. Its English Bridle. I sanded it and used alcohol after giving the back a Neetsfoot treatment due to severe dryness.
The draw now is great and seems to be a very nice strop.
Careful in the sun its been crazy hot here.
Now there's something I didn't know I needed--a power buffer! Maybe some Kiwi shoe polish will do the trick...
I seen a video once of a guy that restored a strop and used a power buffer meant for shoes, really brought out a shine on it.
Not sure what affect it would have on the strop. Looked great though.
- Thread starter
- #12
That's the one from razor emporium. That was the first video I watched before attempting to restore a strop.
Maybe a shoe brush would work along these lines?
Leave the shoe brush for last. It gives that warm glow finish that is subtle but definately shows.
The strop pictured above looked very similar to suhrim's. First condition then staighten with the screwdriver(works way better and faster than weighing them down. Then sand flat to progression, bevel slightly(slightly!). Now screwdriver again mixed in with the shoe brudh till you get the glow. Works for me! Hope it can work for you and like they say proof is in the pudding! Slick fast draw, 40 laps on shell done.
The strop pictured above looked very similar to suhrim's. First condition then staighten with the screwdriver(works way better and faster than weighing them down. Then sand flat to progression, bevel slightly(slightly!). Now screwdriver again mixed in with the shoe brudh till you get the glow. Works for me! Hope it can work for you and like they say proof is in the pudding! Slick fast draw, 40 laps on shell done.
- Thread starter
- #15
Thanks. I miss my C-MON 414.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
When you’re done, place the strop on a hard surface and try rubbing the strop with a softer tomo nagura or jnat. Polishes well. You’ll have to lightly de-glaze the tomo/jnat after that, the leather loads it up a little. I have one of Max’s ‘tomo extra’ dedicated for this.
- Thread starter
- #17
I'm working on the strop. Used a little Fromm strop dressing on it worked it in. I go back and forth from placing on a flat surface with weight on it to rubbing with washcloth and working the bends out by rolling a bit in the opposite direction
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