What is the White Stuff on Vintage Linen Strops

[duke762]

Linen component of my recent Ebay score was quite smooth and covered in a white powder of some kind. After washing it felt slimy and considerably rougher in texture. I've seen this before but have no idea of what it could be. Feels like corn starch or flour. Got any ideas?

 

[Legion]

Talcum powder? It has a silica component, which would provide a fine polishing effect.

Plus, barbers always have that little rubber neck puffer of it, so it seems like something they would use.

 

[Pedigree]

Linen component of my recent Ebay score was quite smooth and covered in a white powder of some kind. After washing it felt slimy and considerably rougher in texture. I've seen this before but have no idea of what it could be. Feels like corn starch or flour. Got any ideas?

It could be chalk or a chalk like substance?

 

[thp001]

Probably strop dressing similar to the current Dovo white paste found here: Herold - Solingen White Linen Treatment Strop Paste - https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Herold-Solingen-White-Linen-Treatment-Strop-Paste-P698C11.aspx

It's designed to just fill in the spaces in the fabric and provide a smoother surface. Not sure what it's made from.

 

[Pedigree]

Probably strop dressing similar to the current Dovo white paste found here: Herold - Solingen White Linen Treatment Strop Paste - https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Herold-Solingen-White-Linen-Treatment-Strop-Paste-P698C11.aspx

It's designed to just fill in the spaces in the fabric and provide a smoother surface. Not sure what it's made from.

chalk and a fatty carrier of some sort,

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

You will need to soak in a mild soap, I use dollar store, Woolite and scrub with a stiff brush to get it out from between the weave. It can take several days of soaking and scrubbing to get it and all the grit out, (until you rinse water is clear).

Then soak in vinegar, a cup to 2-3 gallons of water. If you do not rinse in vinegar, soap will remain in the fibers and attract dirt like a magnet.

Be careful bending the strop while wet, flax gets hard and you can easily break the fibers.

 

[duke762]

Here's an excellent picture I stole from Possum092's post that clearly shows white stuff caked all over the strop. It sure makes them smoother, but what the heck is it? Seems to turn into slime when wet and they are never as smooth after washing.

 

[Possum092]

1788 Strop Formula reduced amounts

From: The Discipline of the Light Horse by Capt. Hinde, 1778 (pg 559) -
"A Receipt for the White Belts. Take 1 ½ lb of Pipe-clay, 3 Quarts of Water, ¼ lb of Best Glue, ¼ lb of White Soap, Boil the Soap and Glue first, till dissolved, then Mix it with the Pipe-Clay, and Boil all together for a Quarter of an Hour; when Cold put it on a with a Sponge in the usual manner, and when Dry Rub it with a Glass-Bottle."
20%

*12 OZ. pipe cLAY

*1.5 QUARTS WATER

*1 oz fish glue

*1 oz tallow soap...more added later
Added from the later recipe to the early recipe while mixing...
+ 1 oz. Liquid laundry bluing..UV whitening agent (stone blue)

+ 1 oz. of Gum Tagacanth (Leather sealant)

 

[ErieSurfer]

1788 Strop Formula reduced amounts

From: The Discipline of the Light Horse by Capt. Hinde, 1778 (pg 559) -
"A Receipt for the White Belts. Take 1 ½ lb of Pipe-clay, 3 Quarts of Water, ¼ lb of Best Glue, ¼ lb of White Soap, Boil the Soap and Glue first, till dissolved, then Mix it with the Pipe-Clay, and Boil all together for a Quarter of an Hour; when Cold put it on a with a Sponge in the usual manner, and when Dry Rub it with a Glass-Bottle."
20%

*12 OZ. pipe cLAY

*1.5 QUARTS WATER

*1 oz fish glue

*1 oz tallow soap...more added later
Added from the later recipe to the early recipe while mixing...
+ 1 oz. Liquid laundry bluing..UV whitening agent (stone blue)

+ 1 oz. of Gum Tagacanth (Leather sealant)

Have you made use of this recipe with or without the bluing and tagacanth? My best guess on the modern version of pipe clay would be potter's clay. It seems that fish glue is still made.

 

[Possum092]

Have you made use of this recipe with or without the bluing and tagacanth? My best guess on the modern version of pipe clay would be potter's clay. It seems that fish glue is still made.

I haven‘t attempted to make, since my SRs rarely touch the linen.