What do you use to clean and condition your strop?

[sexy beast]

Interested to hear other methods from the masses.

 

[rbscebu]

I just give my strops 4 or 5 rubs with the dry underside of my forearm before and after each use. That had worked for me for over a year with no ill effects.

 

[Legion]

Just rub the palm of my hand over the strop a few times before use. Keep it simple.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Modern strops? Nothing. Maybe rub my palm on it every now and then (but that's practically superstition... didn't do that for many years and seen no change since I started). Vintage ones that are dried up and need remoisturized, I've used both neetsfoot and mink oils and I think I prefer Mink oil, but neetsfoot does seem to penetrate a lot better, so may be the superior option.

 

[bluesman 7]

I do a quick wipe with a damp wash cloth, followed by drying with a towel pretty often along with palm rubbing with clean hands before each shave. I previously posted this in another strop maintenance thread; Care and feeding of a hanging strop? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/care-and-feeding-of-a-hanging-strop.601511/post-11084878

 

[Brianskeet]

Neatsfoot oil in tiny tiny tiny amounts. Three maybe four drops on my hand, rub my hands together, then rub one hand on the strop. Do this annually to semi annually depending on the strop. I have several strops over a decade old that still look new using this method. When I lived in Vegas I had to do this more along the lines of quarterly, but here in Florida once or twice a year seems to be enough.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Clean my strop? Nah. Condition? A few drops of neatsfoot every year or so, and lots of hand rubbing. I usually rub it for a minute before stropping. Not as important for shell as for cowhide.

Then again, I get called out on never washing my truck, either. I always figure it gets washed every time it rains, but some people just don't get it. I don't let it bother me.

 

[jj_sharp]

Or, maybe the dirt, as burried in the leather, helps the sharpening process.

 

[kohalajohn]

Before each use. When I reach for the strop, I first grab it at the top. Then, still gripping it, I slide my hand down to the bottom.

The grip imposes a convex curl down it, and the theory is that prevents it curling the wrong way, or dishing. And a trace of oil is imparted from the skin.

I don't ever add oil.

 

[njtnjt]

A clean cotton t~shirt once a year or so.

 

[alla2465]

Just rub it with my palm prior to using it. Nothing else is needed unless you have a dry strop you are trying to restore imo
.