Is there anything to do to flatten a cupped strop?

[Polarbeard]

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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It will. I have given the strop three "treatments" so far and it has already given very good results. Thank you all for your good advice.
I think I'll go and give it a fourth treatment right now.

 

[Slash McCoy]

One trick I have used successfully to correct cupping in a wide strop is to VERY slightly enlarge the side holes top and bottom for the Chicago screws. Leave the centerline ones alone. This relieves a bit of tension at the edges and transfers more of it toward the center, counteracting the cupping with a bit of bowing. Proceed cautiously and don't overdo it. I use a round 1/8" chainsaw file. Give it a few strokes, reassemble, and use it for a few days. Repeat as necessary. You can help it along by running your cupped hand up and down it as everyone else says. Indeed, that might be the only action necessary. But in extreme cases the center has become stretched and needs to be relieved at the edges. This is a good reason for having three, rather than two, chicago screws per D ring.

Can you actually see the cupping? is it bad enough that you are not getting good contact at the centerline? A sharpie test might tell you.

One nice thing about a "barber end", which is just a bare end with no hardware or stitching or handle, is you can influence the surface tension balance by the way you grasp the end. I kind of like a barber end but even more, I like having a simple D ring top and bottom with no fabric component, so I can hang it from either end and distribute wear equally, or put a slice on the right hand edge over on the left hand side.

 

[Luecke2326]

This needs to be a sticky, very good info right here! Thanks @Polarbeard for asking the question.


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[Polarbeard]

One trick I have used successfully to correct cupping in a wide strop is to VERY slightly enlarge the side holes top and bottom for the Chicago screws. Leave the centerline ones alone. This relieves a bit of tension at the edges and transfers more of it toward the center, counteracting the cupping with a bit of bowing. Proceed cautiously and don't overdo it. I use a round 1/8" chainsaw file. Give it a few strokes, reassemble, and use it for a few days. Repeat as necessary. You can help it along by running your cupped hand up and down it as everyone else says. Indeed, that might be the only action necessary. But in extreme cases the center has become stretched and needs to be relieved at the edges. This is a good reason for having three, rather than two, chicago screws per D ring.

Can you actually see the cupping? is it bad enough that you are not getting good contact at the centerline? A sharpie test might tell you.

One nice thing about a "barber end", which is just a bare end with no hardware or stitching or handle, is you can influence the surface tension balance by the way you grasp the end. I kind of like a barber end but even more, I like having a simple D ring top and bottom with no fabric component, so I can hang it from either end and distribute wear equally, or put a slice on the right hand edge over on the left hand side.

Thank you. You have a lot of knowledge and you're always willing to take your time to share it.

This needs to be a sticky, very good info right here! Thanks @Polarbeard for asking the question.
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Please don't thank me, I'm just the guy with the cupped strop. The thanks goes to all the very helpful gentlemen that know how to straighten it out and take their time to share that knowledge.

 

[Polarbeard]

Now a week later I'd like to report back. I've been using the same strop every day both before and after shaving.

Before stropping I used the method suggested by @paintflinger , @Mr.Tee and @Tony Miller. It worked like a a charm. After only a couple of days/treatments the strop felt completely flat again.

This morning I decided to put the strop to the test by shaving with a IMO beautiful razor that instantly will scar any strop that's not perfectly flat. The strop passed the test with flying colours.

This anti-cupping procedure is going to be a part of my stropping procedure from now on.

Once again thank you everyone for taking your time to answer my call for help.

 

[Luecke2326]

Now a week later I'd like to report back. I've been using the same strop every day both before and after shaving.

Before stropping I used the method suggested by @paintflinger , @Mr.Tee and @Tony Miller. It worked like a a charm. After only a couple of days/treatments the strop felt completely flat again.

This morning I decided to put the strop to the test by shaving with a IMO beautiful razor that instantly will scar any strop that's not perfectly flat. The strop passed the test with flying colours.

This anti-cupping procedure is going to be a part of my stropping procedure from now on.

Once again thank you everyone for taking your time to answer my call for help.

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Good stuff right here! You’ll especially need this technique with your new SRD Roo strop. After daily use for about 9 months it started to cup quite a bit. I picked up a Tony Miller strop and moved on, but now I’ve started using my Roo strop again thanks to this thread.


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[Polarbeard]

Good stuff right here! You’ll especially need this technique with your new SRD Roo strop. After daily use for about 9 months it started to cup quite a bit. I picked up a Tony Miller strop and moved on, but now I’ve started using my Roo strop again thanks to this thread.
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I tried the Roo strop today (yes I stropped my razor twice after the shave today). It is very different from any of my other strops, and very interesting.

 

[paintflinger]

I tried the Roo strop today (yes I stropped my razor twice after the shave today). It is very different from any of my other strops, and very interesting.

I use my homemade Too strop for pretty much every shave.

 

[Luecke2326]

I tried the Roo strop today (yes I stropped my razor twice after the shave today). It is very different from any of my other strops, and very interesting.

In a good way I hope


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[Mr.Tee]

I’d almost be willing to bet your razors now feel keener/smoother. When the edges of your strop cup upwards, a good hunk of the bevel makes little to no contact with the leather. Like Tony said, a slight convex profile is a good thing so long as you hit the entire bevel. Glad to hear all is working out.

 

[Polarbeard]

I’d almost be willing to bet your razors now feel keener/smoother. When the edges of your strop cup upwards, a good hunk of the bevel makes little to no contact with the leather. Like Tony said, a slight convex profile is a good thing so long as you hit the entire bevel. Glad to hear all is working out.

Thank you

 

[kohalajohn]

That's a great idea. I have a wide strop that has become cupped. I'll try that.

I also like the idea for preventative maintenance.

 

[6Cuda6]

I have to do this too....lol