New/Old strop

So...I got a "bag o' razors" the other day. A bag that was filled with some incredibly nice razors in great shape, along with a few that need some attention. But enough about blades...

Along with 13 razors and coffin cases, there was an old Baker strop. One side appears to be a vulcanized linen with a fair amount of texture, but semi-smooth, as though the linen was dipped in liquid leather. The other side is cordovan leather. Both were very dirty and old, but not dry or cracked, and not stiff and non-pliable.

So I went to the local feed store, got a thing of Saddle Soap, and cleaned them up. It didn't take a lot...little water, saddle soap, and some elbow grease, and the years of caked-in dirt lifted right off of both the leather and linen sides. I allowed them to dry and rubbed in some Harrold's Leather Strop conditioning paste. It seems to have loosened up the leather a bit to bring back some of the suppleness.

I stropped a razor on it, using both sides, and actually had a very decent shave from it. I used a razor that I knew was in good shape, edge-wise, and with which I was familiar with it's shave characteristics, and had a very decent shave from this strop.

I'm thinking a few more treatments with both the soap and the conditioner, and this might actually be a decent cordovan strop. At the very least, it will be a decent piece of leather for gluing down on a board to make a paddle strop from...

I'll grab a photo when I get home to share...

So...I got a "bag o' razors" the other day. A bag that was filled with some incredibly nice razors in great shape, along with a few that need some attention. But enough about blades...

Along with 13 razors and coffin cases, there was an old Baker strop. One side appears to be a vulcanized linen with a fair amount of texture, but semi-smooth, as though the linen was dipped in liquid leather. The other side is cordovan leather. Both were very dirty and old, but not dry or cracked, and not stiff and non-pliable.

So I went to the local feed store, got a thing of Saddle Soap, and cleaned them up. It didn't take a lot...little water, saddle soap, and some elbow grease, and the years of caked-in dirt lifted right off of both the leather and linen sides.  I allowed them to dry and rubbed in some Harrold's Leather Strop conditioning paste. It seems to have loosened up the leather a bit to bring back some of the suppleness.

I stropped a razor on it, using both sides, and actually had a very decent shave from it. I used a razor that I knew was in good shape, edge-wise, and with which I was familiar with it's shave characteristics, and had a very decent shave from this strop.

I'm thinking a few more treatments with both the soap and the conditioner, and this might actually be a decent cordovan strop.  At the very least, it will be a decent piece of leather for gluing down on a board to make a paddle strop from...

I'll grab a photo when I get home to share...

I had a similar experience my self recently, but used neetsfoot oil and after applying rubbed it down on my counter using a bottle to work the oil in. After I used a hair dryer to warm it enough to allow the oil to soak in. This thing looks better than my bike jacket.