# Possible or even desirable to clean a leather strop?



## ChefCosta (Jan 14, 2014)

Is it possible to clean a leather strop? I applied .25 micron diamond spray to a Hand American leather strop and it dramatically improved the "grab" of the strop but it has since become loaded with use and no longer grabs evenly. An analogy to this problem would be that it is kind of like when a fine stone gets loaded with metal swarf and you remove it with a nagura. Is there any way to do this to leather?


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## tripleq (Jan 14, 2014)

I've tried a bunch of things including WD40. I've gotten the best results with waterless hand cleaner or saddle soap.


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## jklip13 (Jan 14, 2014)

if you use lighter fluid, it will remove anything clogging the leather and then evaporate. Sometimes this dries the leather out though so it might be a good idea to get some leather conditioner to apply after the lighter fluid dries


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## Dave Martell (Jan 14, 2014)

Smooth or textured leather?

If it's smooth then waterless hand cleaner is the answer. If it's textured then I have no idea.


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## zitangy (Jan 15, 2014)

Dave Martell said:


> Smooth or textured leather?
> 
> If it's smooth then waterless hand cleaner is the answer. If it's textured then I have no idea.



I suppose washing it with alcohol and a fine brush wld help. Soaking it in alcohol too can be considered. Oiling it with mineral oil shld restpre its suppleness.

Tried a few times with Horse hide. I have taken the cow hide route adn they are cheap enough to replace and in use mainly the raw hide side.

Have fun....
d


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## Yamabushi (Jan 15, 2014)

Saddle soap?

Cheers,
Pete


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## Reede (Jan 15, 2014)

Saddle soap used as a soap will work well(although most saddle soaps are marketed as one-step cleaner-conditioners, and so you're not removing any of the grime/buildup/steel grit from the leather). Condition with pure neatsfoot oil. You don't want anything too waxy, as it will change the draw of the leather. 

The above will work for both slick and rough side leather. The caveat being, of course, that anything you put on rough(flesh) side leather is going to change its feel. Soap, oil, leather cream, etc. will change the feel and draw of roughout leather.


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## Lefty (Jan 15, 2014)

Dave Martell said:


> Smooth or textured leather?
> 
> If it's smooth then waterless hand cleaner is the answer. If it's textured then I have no idea.



What Dave said...and saddle soap for smooth.


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## Sam Cro (Jan 15, 2014)

I use the wax mix that Dave sells on my strop it works very well , and on cutting boards , knife blades and many other things .


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## CPD (Jan 15, 2014)

Might check out Bickmore leather products. They've been around forever and make a few different products for cleaning, conditioning leathers. Best I've come across. Pretty sure one of their products specifically works on roughout leathers and their standard cleaner and conditioner is amazing stuff on smooth.


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## ChefCosta (Jan 15, 2014)

It's a smooth strop. When you say "waterless hand cleaner" that's the same as an alcohol based hand sanitizer, right?


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 15, 2014)

Waterless hand cleaner Blue Goop,has glycerine in it that is actually good for the leather.It cleans the buildup on smooth leather.Never use orange cleaner on leather,Blue only.


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## vlad8 (Jan 19, 2014)

I use alcohol on the smooth strop. It work great for me.


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## 420layersofdank (Jan 19, 2014)

Try using a rubber eraser. Works like magic


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