LEATHER STROP OIL

[ladysmithtrading]

just purchased a nice seal skin vintage barbers strop for keeping sharp all those inlet tools that are coming from leigh valley, leathers dry, anyone know what type of oil to quench this with?

 

[LRB]

I would suggest mineral oil or pure neetsfoot. Here in FL we have a variety of bugs that are attracted to neetsfoot, so I use mineral oil. The neetsfoot compound has a little sulfur in it to ward off insects, but the sulfur will slowly burn the leather. Which ever you choose, after the initial oiling, mix some fine buffing compound in the oil and apply it to side of the strop you will use. If you haven't done this before, you will be amazed at the degree of sharp you will get after stroping an edge.

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Wick, Thanks for the reply, I've stropped knife blades in the past on a piece of heavy tooloing leather and honing oil, works fairly well, i found this strop at an estate sale from a old time barber here in town that went under, thought it was a good buy aT 5 BUCKS, its in pretty good shape , just a lilt dry, I have plenty or neetsfoot here , use it on our saddles and tack, just thought there mite be a better oil for this purpose , Thanks, jim

 

[Bob Riegl]

If you are going to use that leather to strop fine hand tools---than oil is the last thing I would use---are you planning to hone your tools and then strop??? Honing is done with a leather "strop" by using some form of polishing medium---Rouge, Green Stick, Aluminum Oxide powder, carbide granules etc. there's a lot of similar compounds out there. I hone all of my carving knives and gouges with Green Compound bars---this stuff is rubbed on the strop leather and the tool is honed (sharpened) on this and then the tool is "stropped" on a similar piece of (unconditioned) leather. This removes any burrs on the blade. A typical wood carving gouge (Pfeil) costs anywhere between $25-$55, and a good carving knife ~ $35. The only way I would use an oil is if it had carbide grits suspended in it for honing purposes. :hatsoff:

 

[TedPalmer]

beleave it or not waterless hand cleaner works well to clean and condition strops. Learned this from hand america sharpening company.
Just wipe a little on, rub it around with your hand, and wipe it of with a rag or paper towel.
be safe... Ted

 

[Bountyhunter]

Check with an old barber, see what they use to condition their strops. Strops usually have two pieces. A slick leather front and a rougher belt type back. They use different conditioners.