Hi,
I wonder how to treat dried horse hide strop? Thanks.
Edit: I mean dried due to age, heat etc.
I wonder how to treat dried horse hide strop? Thanks.
Edit: I mean dried due to age, heat etc.
Last edited:
How to treat dried horse hide strop?
- Thread starter ferroburak
- Start date
Find a good quality saddle soap, following the instructions, repeat as needed to bring back the leather until it is supple and usable. this may require several applications if the strop is very dry.
Neatsfoot oil works wonders on old leather, brings it back to life and regain suppleness.
Just use a bit at a time and allow to soak in for at least a day before you decide if it needs another coat.
Can be found at most tac shops, try and get the 100% pure neatsfoot rather than a conditioner with neatsfoot in it.
Just use a bit at a time and allow to soak in for at least a day before you decide if it needs another coat.
Can be found at most tac shops, try and get the 100% pure neatsfoot rather than a conditioner with neatsfoot in it.
Good to know, I might try that...
Leather depends on a certain amount of moisture trapped within it to be supple. When the moisture dries out to a certain level the fibres shrink and after some time you can't really bring the leather back to its original condition.
Glycerine helps to keep moisture in the leather, and an oil layer helps seal it in - good quality saddle soap is rich in glycerine and neatsfoot oil (and/or tallow - very similar) as well as having a water component. Unlike pure neatsfoot, it is hard to overdo it - too much neatsfoot and your razor will stick to the strop rather than glide over it, so if you do use just neatsfoot on its own it is best to mist the strop with water first, pour a few drops of neatsfoot onto a bunched-up rag and then quickly rub it over the strop - the misting of water will stop it penetrating right into the leather straight away, giving you a chance to spread it thinly and evenly.
Regards,
Neil
- Thread starter
- #6
I see. Seems like applying neatsfoot oil first and saddle soap the other day will work best. Would using pure tallow+ pure glyserin soap produce acceptable results?
I think that depends on how bad the drying is.
I'd take Neil Miller on his words.
He is very knowledgable when it comes to strops!
Thanks Honed, appreciated!
Some people use a tallow rich shaving soap - Williams Mug Soap is often quoted by barbers, it used to be tallow rich, as well as containing coconut oil and glycerine (don't know if the formulation has changed at all, however. If one application of saddle soap or WMS doesn't do it, you can always repeat it. Better to have too little oil and build it up than have too much.
Regards,
Neil
Some people use a tallow rich shaving soap - Williams Mug Soap is often quoted by barbers, it used to be tallow rich, as well as containing coconut oil and glycerine (don't know if the formulation has changed at all, however. If one application of saddle soap or WMS doesn't do it, you can always repeat it. Better to have too little oil and build it up than have too much.
Regards,
Neil
Well, I just got one of your buffalo strops & it's hard not to get the impression that you know what you are doing.
I spent so much time with it last night that I think my wife got jealous
+1 what Neil said.... The nice thing about the saddle soap is that you can use it over and over again and not have to worry as much about doing any damage to the leather.... but the neetsfoot oil will do a lot of damage to the leather if too much is used at one time. and as Neil pointed out it doesn't take much to get to the point that damage is done.
I have seen my sister buy a saddle that looked to me like the only thing you could do for it was give it a proper burial... but my sister would get out the can of saddle soap and apply a generous amount to the dry leather and work it in at least once a day until the leather looked almost good as new.
The way I figure it .. If someone who's *** relies on the leather of the saddle they sit in trusts in saddle soap to make the leather pliable and usable then I am fairly sure it will work very well on your strop too and not do any damage to the leather. Any good leather supply store or tack shop will have saddle soap.
I have seen my sister buy a saddle that looked to me like the only thing you could do for it was give it a proper burial... but my sister would get out the can of saddle soap and apply a generous amount to the dry leather and work it in at least once a day until the leather looked almost good as new.
The way I figure it .. If someone who's *** relies on the leather of the saddle they sit in trusts in saddle soap to make the leather pliable and usable then I am fairly sure it will work very well on your strop too and not do any damage to the leather. Any good leather supply store or tack shop will have saddle soap.
- Thread starter
- #11
Is 'Gold Label' brand good for saddle soap? I guess their hard soap is preferable over creamy one. Or can you post a link on the net offering international shipment for saddle soap? Thanks.
Well its certainly got glycerine in it and some sort of oil, but as I am unfamiliar with the brand I don't know what the oil is. If you are having difficulty getting saddle soap, you can always make your own by melting a bar of glycerine soap in the microwave (slowly - watch it carefully!) then add a few drops of neatsfoot oil. Some people add a splash of milk to make the soap softer when it sets again. I haven't done this though, so I don't know how well it works.
A soft soap is easier to apply - you just wet a cloth, wring it out well, dab it in the soft soap and rub into the leather, buffing it up before it dries. You usually have to grate the hard bars and melt the gratings in hot water.
Regards,
Neil
Similar threads
