Is there anything to do to flatten a cupped strop?

[Polarbeard]

I've got several very fine strops. They don't see too much use since I really like my Bison natural horse hide strop, also a very good strop. These days this strop is sold under the brand name Ezra Arthur.
I don't know how many times I have used this strop, but it's considerably more than a thousand times. As seen in the pictures below it hasn't got any cuts, but you can clearly see all the signs of wear on a well used and loved strop.
However I've got a slight problem. The second picture shows the scratch marks on the right side of the strop (I'm left handed) due to a light cupping that have appeared the last months. I guess I have held the strop too hard and thus the cupping.

My question is: Is there anything I can do about the cupping or do I have to live with it?

 

[GearNoir]

Looks is like character to me!

Is it affecting the razor?

 

[Luecke2326]

I've got several very fine strops. They don't see too much use since I really like my Bison natural horse hide strop, also a very good strop. These days this strop is sold under the brand name Ezra Arthur.
I don't know how many times I have used this strop, but it's considerably more than a thousand times. As seen in the pictures below it hasn't got any cuts, but you can clearly see all the signs of wear on a well used and loved strop.
However I've got a slight problem. The second picture shows the scratch marks on the right side of the strop (I'm left handed) due to a light cupping that have appeared the last months. I guess I have held the strop too hard and thus the cupping.

My question is: Is there anything I can do about the cupping or do I have to live with it?



View attachment 868252 View attachment 868251

Arne, I have a similar issue with a Straight Razor Designs Roo strop.... Though I’m sure it’s considerably thinner than your strop. I wish I had an answer for you, I know there’s nothing I can do for myself lol.

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[paintflinger]

Grabbing the strop on each edge (shape hand like a claw). Push or pull depending on the direction of the cup and run your hand down the strop. This will reverse the cup. Then just lightly rub the strop to smooth the cup out. Do before each stropping session until the cupping goes away.

This is what Tony Miller recommended at least. I can't find the exact post, but I use this method and it works well.

 

[Polarbeard]

Looks is like character to me!
Is it affecting the razor?

Thank you, a loved strop always get a lot of character, but hopefully not too many scars.
No it's not affecting the razor yet, but it affects the strop, and i really really like the draw of this strop.

 

[Polarbeard]

Arne, I have a similar issue with a Straight Razor Designs Roo strop.... Though I’m sure it’s considerably thinner than your strop. I wish I had an answer for you, I know there’s nothing I can do for myself lol.

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LOL, I just ordered the 3" Roo strop from SRD. I've been looking at it for years, but always found the many added charges for export to the EU made it too expensive. Now however SRD has a very prolonged period of sales so I began to worry that it might be a sign of that they are closing down. I figured that it might be now or never and placed my order about a week ago. Hopefully I'll get the Roo strop any day now. And I'll be sure not to pull it too hard when stropping.

Paintlinger (see above) has given a good tip that I'll try. It might work for your strop as well.
Arne

 

[Polarbeard]

Grabbing the strop on each edge (shape hand like a claw). Push or pull depending on the direction of the cup and run your hand down the strop. This will reverse the cup. Then just lightly rub the strop to smooth the cup out. Do before each stropping session until the cupping goes away.

This is what Tony Miller recommended at least. I can't find the exact post, but I use this method and it works well.

Thank you so much for the advice! This strop is as some sort of a shaving version of a Teddy Bear to me (hopefully that statement wasn't too weird, but hey I'm the type of guy that gladly shaves with straight razors about 360 times a year). I'll start the process immediately.
Thanks again.

 

[Jnatcat]

Arne,

I to am a left handed stropper and had an issue the same as you so have tried various things to fix, the biggest thing that fixed it was going to a strop that was narrower but on my wider 3” ones I occasionally wiped them down with a damp cotton cloth until the leather was fairly dampened and then layed flat to dry and this seems to have corrected the issue, also on others that had a tendency to cup I would squeeze the sides of the strop and force the middle to bow down on up depending on the direction on which way the center was cupping.

 

[Polarbeard]

Arne,

I to am a left handed stropper and had an issue the same as you so have tried various things to fix, the biggest thing that fixed it was going to a strop that was narrower but on my wider 3” ones I occasionally wiped them down with a damp cotton cloth until the leather was fairly dampened and then layed flat to dry and this seems to have corrected the issue, also on others that had a tendency to cup I would squeeze the sides of the strop and force the middle to bow down on up depending on the direction on which way the center was cupping.

Thank you William, I'll definitely give it a try. As I wrote I really like this strop. I don't say that it is better than Miller, Scrupleworks, Kanayama or any other high quality strop. It's just that it is my kind of strop.

 

[Ice-Man]

I don't think it matters what hand you use, as I don't think a strop is handed but going to watch this post as my first strop is doing the same.
just over a week ago I did use saddle soap to clean it and some leather food to see if it would help, as this is a cheap strop so its not the end of the world, but it was my very first strop and has war wounds..... If that's what you call them...

 

[Mr.Tee]

I have the same strop. I take my hand and cup it over the leather and gently roll it back to the backside, moving up and down the strop. I do this every other shave or so. It keeps it where it needs to be.

 

[Steve56]

You can dampen/wet them then put them between two flat boards to dry per Iwasaki's recommendation for cleaning strops. Maybe put a book or two on the boards. I like to put a thin towel between the boards and the leather.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Lmarkow]

Switch hands?

 

[Polarbeard]

I have the same strop. I take my hand and cup it over the leather and gently roll it back to the backside, moving up and down the strop. I do this every other shave or so. It keeps it where it needs to be.

You can dampen/wet them then put them between two flat boards to dry per Iwasaki's recommendation for cleaning strops. Maybe put a book or two on the boards. I like to put a thin towel between the boards and the leather.
Cheers, Steve

Thank you both.

Switch hands?

No that wouldn't work. I tried having two left feet, but it was no success.

 

[imatabor]

Maybe @Tony Miller can stop in. Good luck Arne.

 

[Tony Miller]

Paintfinger mentioned my method in post 4 and Mr. Tees suggestion in post 11 works for me.

I force a bow across the width by pressing both edges with my thumb and finger tips and slowly run my hand down the strop once or twice. Every day or two keeps it where it needs to be. I prefer a very slightly convex surface myself.

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[imatabor]

Paintfinger mentioned my method in post 4 and Mr. Tees suggestion in post 11 works for me.

I force a bow across the width by pressing both edges with my thumb and finger tips and slowly run my hand down the strop once or twice. Every day or two keeps it where it needs to be. I prefer a very slightly convex surface myself.

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[Polarbeard]

Maybe @Tony Miller can stop in. Good luck Arne.

Thank you John.

 

[Polarbeard]

Paintfinger mentioned my method in post 4 and Mr. Tees suggestion in post 11 works for me.

I force a bow across the width by pressing both edges with my thumb and finger tips and slowly run my hand down the strop once or twice. Every day or two keeps it where it needs to be. I prefer a very slightly convex surface myself.

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Thank you very much. Two of your fantastic strops have found their way to my northern outpost of the world.

 

[Tony Miller]

I have never had great luck with the rolling a bottle over them or weighting with books. With most materials, whatever they are you pretty much need to go beyond the shape needed, ie. over bend and let them spring back to the desired contour.

Hope this helps

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