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restoring strops - secondary leather

Good day all -

I have managed to clean up and use a few old strops in the past - often losing some of the linen sides as they are just too worn and frayed, but i enjoy getting them back to use, even if its just a spare leather piece.

Please can anyone share any tips for the suede secondary leather strop - I have an older japanese strop with this as a second. For the main leather, I have used saddle soap and leather conditioner quite well. Although it feels and looks like it needs 'hydrating' - wetting and massaging in some oily conditioner doesnt seem to be logical or the way to go for me on the suede piece, but i dont know

i have a couple pics attached - the bottom where it was held is the worst and both sides shown. Thank you

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Kirby Allison has suede cleaner designed for leather shoes. You should use like a soft brass brush or coarse pig brush. he has a non-wax renovateur and also a product called Renomat that removes grease, dirt, oil and stains. For conditioner use non-oil Napa leather. Any conditioner for suede would likely change the character though you could buff with coarse bristle brush assuming you lightly add conditioner.

Honestly $7 in saddle soap is where I would probably stop though if you invest in the cleaning you would get better results.

For $150 you could get a new strop so either try saving the strop for the sake of saving it or put some serious cash in for heirloom quality.
 
Thanks - I’ll give it a go with the saddle soap to start, then try a little conditioner at a time. if I don’t tr6 it, it won’t get used anyway so I’ll give it a go
 
I've got my first used strop inbound at the moment so I'm following this thread with interest.
I have some Lexol "Step 2" conditioner. Any thoughts on using that?
 
Thanks - I’ll give it a go with the saddle soap to start, then try a little conditioner at a time. if I don’t tr6 it, it won’t get used anyway so I’ll give it a go
Test the saddle soap on a small spot. Some saddle soaps will leave a semi-glossy finish-- which is great if that's what you want.
 
I've got my first used strop inbound at the moment so I'm following this thread with interest.
I have some Lexol "Step 2" conditioner. Any thoughts on using that?
I dont know thta conditioner myself but I have used saddle soap and a leather conditioner i found here locally. I have done about 4 old strops and I believe the leather conditioners would all be suitable (after talking to a couple leather shops and sharing pics of my strops) - some may darken the colour though.
Above, I was asking question specifically on the suede portion of an older japanese strop - not sure how the conditioning would affect the suede texture itself. If you are not sure - I had success asking a couple leather shops and they were hapy to give advice on what to use with respect to what was locally availabel for me.
 
I have never restored a napped leather strop, but have restored a lot of leather strops and leather goods.

The problem you have is 1. Cleaning the leather. 2. Reconditioning/rehydrating the leather. And 3. Restoring the napp.

First all the dirt and grime (abrasive grit) must be removed from deep in the leather. Any good saddle soap will work after a good brushing with a brass or stiff nylon brush. Work the soap into the leather with a stiff brush and wipe with a damp sponge. Repeat the cleaning until most of the dirt is removed. Rinse well, wiping with a damp sponge, let Air dry.

Now you must rehydrate the leather. It has dried out over the years. You will need to apply some oil sparingly to rehydrate. You can use Lexol, Ballistol, Neetsfoot or plain Olive oil. I have use all 4 and currently use Olive oil, you don’t need much ½ a teaspoon. Lexol is more of a cleaner for smooth leather like seats and purses.

Make a pad with a clean paper towel, pour a teaspoon in a small container. Wipe the strop with a damp sponge enough to wet the surface, both sides. Wait 15-20 minutes for the water to absorb deep into the leather.

Dip the paper towel into the oil and pad on to the leather, (padding works better than wiping) it will absorb the oil, you may need a bit more oil for the napped finish, apply to both sides and the edges. Oil both sides and edges. Now wait a day or two for it to absorb deep into the leather.

Pick up a rolling pin from a thrift or dollar store. Suspend the pin from the handles with a couple loops of para cord. I hung mine from the Garage door.

After a couple of days to a week apply another coat of oil, do not over oil. It is easier to add more almost impossible to remove oil. Be sure to dampen the strop first. After 20-30 minutes to allow the oil to absorb, lightly roll and bend the strop on the roller. If you hear or feel cracking stop and allow the oil to absorb 2-3 days more, then add another coat of oil. The goal is to lightly roll the strop and loosen the fibers. This will also allow the oil to get deeper into the leather. If you get too aggressive bending you can break the fibers.

Eventually if the strop is rehydrated enough, it will bend and roll like a well-worn and washed sock.

You can also roll a linen strop and make it soft by rolling, but do not oil linen, the strop must be damp, extra care must be taken with linen as linen swells when wet and will break easily if forced. The strop pictured is a flax fire hose, it is soft and flexible after rolling. It was lightly damp.

Once the leather strop is clean, rehydrated and rolled it will need to be re-napped. The Kanayama “Suede” strops were not real suede, more like a soft napped velvet-like finish. Yours looks like it has been sanded or roughed up.

I have duplicated a Kanayama finish on other leather strops with a sharp card scraper, it will leave a fine, soft napped finish on tanned leather. A long straight knife or cleaver will work. I clamp the strop to a bench use a sharp knife or card scraper with a small hook. Take lite laps to raise the nap.

The key to restoring leather and linen strops is to go slow, it has taken years for the stop to harden and get grit deep in the strop, and can take weeks to clean and rehydrate. Linen will take multiple soaking and scrubbing to get all the grit from between the fibers. After soaking over night it must be rinsed and soaked in a tub or bucket (5 gallon) with an ounce of baking soda to neutralize the soap an get the fibers to release the grit and soap. It usually takes a week of soaking, scrubbing and rinsing cycles to fully clean a linen strop.

The goal is to remove all the grit from the strop, once clean the strop should not leave any stria on the bevel and should polish it. If it is scratching the bevel, it must be re-cleaned and hydrated.

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I have never restored a napped leather strop, but have restored a lot of leather strops and leather goods.

The problem you have is 1. Cleaning the leather. 2. Reconditioning/rehydrating the leather. And 3. Restoring the napp.

First all the dirt and grime (abrasive grit) must be removed from deep in the leather. Any good saddle soap will work after a good brushing with a brass or stiff nylon brush. Work the soap into the leather with a stiff brush and wipe with a damp sponge. Repeat the cleaning until most of the dirt is removed. Rinse well, wiping with a damp sponge, let Air dry.

Now you must rehydrate the leather. It has dried out over the years. You will need to apply some oil sparingly to rehydrate. You can use Lexol, Ballistol, Neetsfoot or plain Olive oil. I have use all 4 and currently use Olive oil, you don’t need much ½ a teaspoon. Lexol is more of a cleaner for smooth leather like seats and purses.

Make a pad with a clean paper towel, pour a teaspoon in a small container. Wipe the strop with a damp sponge enough to wet the surface, both sides. Wait 15-20 minutes for the water to absorb deep into the leather.

Dip the paper towel into the oil and pad on to the leather, (padding works better than wiping) it will absorb the oil, you may need a bit more oil for the napped finish, apply to both sides and the edges. Oil both sides and edges. Now wait a day or two for it to absorb deep into the leather.

Pick up a rolling pin from a thrift or dollar store. Suspend the pin from the handles with a couple loops of para cord. I hung mine from the Garage door.

After a couple of days to a week apply another coat of oil, do not over oil. It is easier to add more almost impossible to remove oil. Be sure to dampen the strop first. After 20-30 minutes to allow the oil to absorb, lightly roll and bend the strop on the roller. If you hear or feel cracking stop and allow the oil to absorb 2-3 days more, then add another coat of oil. The goal is to lightly roll the strop and loosen the fibers. This will also allow the oil to get deeper into the leather. If you get too aggressive bending you can break the fibers.

Eventually if the strop is rehydrated enough, it will bend and roll like a well-worn and washed sock.

You can also roll a linen strop and make it soft by rolling, but do not oil linen, the strop must be damp, extra care must be taken with linen as linen swells when wet and will break easily if forced. The strop pictured is a flax fire hose, it is soft and flexible after rolling. It was lightly damp.

Once the leather strop is clean, rehydrated and rolled it will need to be re-napped. The Kanayama “Suede” strops were not real suede, more like a soft napped velvet-like finish. Yours looks like it has been sanded or roughed up.

I have duplicated a Kanayama finish on other leather strops with a sharp card scraper, it will leave a fine, soft napped finish on tanned leather. A long straight knife or cleaver will work. I clamp the strop to a bench use a sharp knife or card scraper with a small hook. Take lite laps to raise the nap.

The key to restoring leather and linen strops is to go slow, it has taken years for the stop to harden and get grit deep in the strop, and can take weeks to clean and rehydrate. Linen will take multiple soaking and scrubbing to get all the grit from between the fibers. After soaking over night it must be rinsed and soaked in a tub or bucket (5 gallon) with an ounce of baking soda to neutralize the soap an get the fibers to release the grit and soap. It usually takes a week of soaking, scrubbing and rinsing cycles to fully clean a linen strop.

The goal is to remove all the grit from the strop, once clean the strop should not leave any stria on the bevel and should polish it. If it is scratching the bevel, it must be re-cleaned and hydrated.

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Thanks for all this info. Much of it has guided me pretty well in the past, I even setting up a rolling pin in my own garage.
I have a few strops that I am busy cleaning up - 1or 2 already have cracked leather where one would have held and squeezed the strops while using. im oiling slowly. I’ve saved only a couple of linen pieces - others so well worn and frayed I chose to leave them. Focusing on the leather at first.

for the suede piece I’ll try saddle soap slowly on a portion - I’ll update as to how it goes
 
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