Strop wrinkles

[shaverjoe]

The bottom of my Walkin' Horse EB strop is wrinkled. The wrinkles FEEL more pronounced than they look in the photo below. I simply avoid stropping down this low and have had no problems. The remainder of the strop is smooth and very enjoyable to use. Is there any way to remove to wrinkles? More importantly, is there any NEED in removing the wrinkles. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Kavik79]

this sounds all too familiar

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/309293-wrinkled-horsehide
I got some good advice in the link above. Got mine back to 99% good, only feel them now if I don't pull it fully taught

 

[shaverjoe]

this sounds all too familiar

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/309293-wrinkled-horsehide
I got some good advice in the link above. Got mine back to 99% good, only feel them now if I don't pull it fully taught

Thanks for the link. The wrinkles on mine are still there even when pulled taught. I'll give the rolling pin trick a try.

 

[cb91710]

Personally, I'd avoid that close to the end anyways... too much of a chance of hitting the "clamp" on the end and damaging the edge (and I've done it on my Mountain Mike's).
My newest strops don't even have handles... with the barber's cut, my hand is occupying the bottom 4" or so... I'm nowhere near either end.

 

[shaverjoe]

Personally, I'd avoid that close to the end anyways... too much of a chance of hitting the "clamp" on the end and damaging the edge (and I've done it on my Mountain Mike's).
My newest strops don't even have handles... with the barber's cut, my hand is occupying the bottom 4" or so... I'm nowhere near either end.

Good point. I try to avoid going anywhere near that close to the cap on the opposite end, too. How do you like the Mountain Mike's strop?

 

[cb91710]

Good point. I try to avoid going anywhere near that close to the cap on the opposite end, too. How do you like the Mountain Mike's strop?

I was never a fan of the textile component.
The leather is nice, but I found that I just didn't care for the wider strops and went back to my Illinois 127.

The Illinois and Mikes now reside in the closet with my first Kanayama (2196). My 2nd Kanayama (#3) and Tony Miller #2 are hanging by the sink.

 

[rajagra]

I have used a small travel iron to remove the last remnants of wrinkles after doing the bottle trick. Put a cloth or sheet of paper between the strop and iron.
I wouldn't risk this on a valued strop except as a last resort though.

 

[Wid]

I personally wouldn't worry about it, avoid that area.

 

[shaverjoe]

I personally wouldn't worry about it, avoid that area.

I used a rolling pin from my daughters' toy kitchen and it helped tremendously, but I think I'll just avoid it. Plenty of cowhide out in front to get the job done

 

[Tony Miller]

Wrinkles like that on bridle and similar leathers are not that uncommon. These leathers seem to have a firm finish surface on them from the dying and waxing process and this harder skin is prone to wrinkles when the hide is flexed back against the skin side. Normally in the middle of a strop the backwards flexing is minor and not concentrated. Near the end though, the stiffer cap concentrates the bending in a more localized area and the result is small wrinkles in the top finish on the strop.
They will not hurt anything and you really don't want to be that far down on the strop anyway.

Any reverse bending of a strop, on nearly any type of leather can cause a similar effect. The skin side of the animal should only be rolled or curved with it being on the outer side of the bend, never the inner side. I'm not saying this is what caused this defect at all, just mentioning it as many with little experience with leather may feel that since it is flexible it can be rolled any way.

I one had a larger leather supplier send me a sample of veg tanned horsebut. It was a rather narrow butt top to bottom and he rolled it skin side in, tight enough to fit in a small flat rate priority box, 1 5/8" thick. Needles to say it was ruined and this is a dealer that should have known better. Any reverse flexing is bad.

Tony

 

[shaverjoe]

Wrinkles like that on bridle and similar leathers are not that uncommon. These leathers seem to have a firm finish surface on them from the dying and waxing process and this harder skin is prone to wrinkles when the hide is flexed back against the skin side. Normally in the middle of a strop the backwards flexing is minor and not concentrated. Near the end though, the stiffer cap concentrates the bending in a more localized area and the result is small wrinkles in the top finish on the strop.
They will not hurt anything and you really don't want to be that far down on the strop anyway.

Any reverse bending of a strop, on nearly any type of leather can cause a similar effect. The skin side of the animal should only be rolled or curved with it being on the outer side of the bend, never the inner side. I'm not saying this is what caused this defect at all, just mentioning it as many with little experience with leather may feel that since it is flexible it can be rolled any way.

I one had a larger leather supplier send me a sample of veg tanned horsebut. It was a rather narrow butt top to bottom and he rolled it skin side in, tight enough to fit in a small flat rate priority box, 1 5/8" thick. Needles to say it was ruined and this is a dealer that should have known better. Any reverse flexing is bad.

Tony

Thank you for the information, Tony.