My Strop is Too Hard to Use

[Firewalker]

OK, thats a little misleading but true nonetheless. I got a horsehide strop but the sucker is REALLY stiff and the razor wont lay flat across the leather because of a slight crown. Other than calling the Doc, what can I do to it to make it more flaccid?

 

[Kentos]

Is it a new one or a vintage?

 

[jpcwon]

I know there are some break-in techniques and I'm sure others will chime in, but I believe one of the techniques is to rub a glass bottle over the strop repeatedly. Can anyone confirm if this is a good break-in procedure?

Also, I had an Illinois strop that came really stiff, and I was able to break it in by just rubbing my palm firmly over the strop a few times a day...the oils in your skin help to break in the strop...

 

[Firewalker]

Is it a new one or a vintage?

Brand spankin new...

 

[Zephyr]

IME the best way to soften a strop is by rubbing it with your palm several times a day, it you rub it until your palm feels hot every time you walk by it, it should soften up.
Daily use also helps the softening prosess.

 

[smalltank]

palm rub it vigerousely for a few weeks before and after shaves

 

[Alum of Potash]

Brand spankin new...

Do the initials of the manufacturer remind one of April the 15th? If not, I can only guess that it was Pfizer...

 

[shaverjoe]

The slight crown will play to your favor with time as this helps prevent the strop from cupping. Additionally, if I'm not mistaken, many horsehide strops are thirsty and may benefit from an occasional neatsfoot oil application-but tread VERY lightly here as less is certainly more.

 

[tomjr]

i own 3 horsehide's with another on the way, they are the BEST IMO. one of mine (vintage) was cupped. i wet (submerged for a few minutes) it in warm water put it between 2 flat surfaces and let it dry for days. it came out perfectly flat. i then added a very small amount of neatsfoot oil. i still use it more than any i have. i believe it was a MONARK brand. it looks awful from heavy use, but it works great.

 

[Alum of Potash]

i own 3 horsehide's with another on the way, they are the BEST IMO. one of mine (vintage) was cupped. i wet (submerged for a few minutes) it in warm water put it between 2 flat surfaces and let it dry for days. it came out perfectly flat. i then added a very small amount of neatsfoot oil. i still use it more than any i have. i believe it was a MONARK brand. it looks awful from heavy use, but it works great.

Cupped in what sense? Along the width in one area, or along the entire length? I've got one with a bend in the width that I've never been able to flatten out. An old hardware store strop that otherwise would be top-flight.

 

[life2short1971]

Take a rolling pin or glass bottle and strop with it to heat the strop and make the tannings more fluid then strop your razor. Horsehide and shell in particular are very sensitive to hot and cold. The stiffen up faster than us when they get cold. I urge you to roll the stop a bit to limber it but use no oils or other treatments.

 

[Firewalker]

Gotcha, I am going to have to do a lot of break in then? I did the glass bottle thing and even really got on it but there was no heat from it at all, the palm of my hand heated it up but with no perceptible decrease in stiffness.

(Thanks Mr. Scruffy )

 

[life2short1971]

Dis you steop with bottle holding the strop taut? I am surprised no heat was generated. What kind of strop is it?

 

[Firewalker]

Yes, very taut, empty beer bottle, cleaned of labels, horsehide from a local tanner, about 3/16" thick. Bottle and strop were cool to the touch.

 

[life2short1971]

Ahh ok So the skin is very slick. For starters I would sand it to add friction. Preferably with a fine DMT on a clean flat counter. You can also use a pumice stone if you don't have a DMT. After that if it was mine I would lather a junk brush up with Mitchells Wool Fat and give it a good solid coat of lather and allow it ample time to dry before rubbing the residuals off with a clean dry cloth. Use the bottle again to warm it up and then try a razor. But thats just me....

 

[Alum of Potash]

Ahh ok So the skin is very slick. For starters I would sand it to add friction. Preferably with a fine DMT on a clean flat counter. You can also use a pumice stone if you don't have a DMT. After that if it was mine I would lather a junk brush up with Mitchells Wool Fat and give it a good solid coat of lather and allow it ample time to dry before rubbing the residuals off with a clean dry cloth. Use the bottle again to warm it up and then try a razor. But thats just me....

I haven't had good luck sanding nicks with a pumice stone. Scott, what do you think about a 200x > 400x > 600x w/d sandpaper progression (used dry)? That & small, light circular strokes worked well for me with an old pasted loom strop.

 

[Firewalker]

Sanding huh? The surface is really shiny.

 

[life2short1971]

Yeah to add some resistance. I would use a scotchbrite pad maybe before sandpaper because I worry about grit from the paper contaminating the strop and ruining edges on razors.

 

[life2short1971]

I haven't had good luck sanding nicks with a pumice stone. Scott, what do you think about a 200x > 400x > 600x w/d sandpaper progression (used dry)? That & small, light circular strokes worked well for me with an old pasted loom strop.

I don't think he is removing nicks and no I have not had good luck removing them with a pumice stone either but they do score the surface nicely to add some draw.

 

[Firewalker]

I have some good synthetic steel wool that does not shed nor contain any metals. I will try the lightest one I have to see if it does increase the draw.