how to clean compound off a strop

Geode

Joined: May 12, 2001

Messages: 2,938

Not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but I figured makers would know the answer to this one.

Do you guys have any tips on how to get the old compound off of a leather strop without damaging the leather surface?

Thanks in advance.

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider

Joined: Oct 18, 2001

Messages: 20,974

Is the surface smooth, or rough? How much compound is on it?

You can take compound off with acetone - won't hurt the leather too much.

If the leather's not smooth (rough side) you can just rub it on some medium emery cloth to open it back up.

Why do you need to remove it?

Fox

Joined: Feb 6, 2000

Messages: 406

After trying several solutions I have found that Ronson lighter fluid works the best for me.

etp777

Joined: Aug 12, 2002

Messages: 2,259

Interesting question, an dsome good answers. For some reason(don't have a stroip, had jsut made assumption) always thought strop was like buffing wheels, basically that once you have a compopund on it, you're pretty much stuck with just using that compound on that side. Thanks

Geode

Joined: May 12, 2001

Messages: 2,938

Daniel Koster said:

Is the surface smooth, or rough? How much compound is on it?

You can take compound off with acetone - won't hurt the leather too much.

If the leather's not smooth (rough side) you can just rub it on some medium emery cloth to open it back up.

Why do you need to remove it?

Daniel - some good questions. The surface is smooth and I want to remove the older compound because it is fairly well loaded with metal and is not cutting very well now. I want to re-apply a coat of compound that will remove a little steel.

I use the strop as a very fine finishing abradant.

jhiggins

Joined: Jul 11, 2003

Messages: 3,258

Turpentine and a terrycloth rag gets my vote.

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider

Joined: Oct 18, 2001

Messages: 20,974

another question (sorry, but it affects my answer)

Is this a traditional strop or a mounted strop?

Just plain old Naptha, which is the main ingredient in lighter fluid, as mentioned above. Kerosene works great also.

Once the strop is clean, dampen it with kerosene again before reapplying abrasive, to help the new compound stick to it.

Geode

Joined: May 12, 2001

Messages: 2,938

Excellent tips, thanks.

Daniel - the strop is mounted on a wooden paddle.

rlinger

Joined: Mar 29, 2002

Messages: 4,579

Mike Hull,

I have a nice double sided strop. One side rouged and the other not. Mine has not been used enough yet to be concerned about. I wonder though, why would one want to remove the rouge? Is it because the strop loads up? Is it because the rouge gets packed in too tightly. Both?

Thanks.

rlinger said:

Mike Hull,

I have a nice double sided strop. One side rouged and the other not. Mine has not been used enough yet to be concerned about. I wonder though, why would one want to remove the rouge? Is it because the strop loads up? Is it because the rouge gets packed in too tightly. Both?

Thanks.

RL

I can only quote the thread starter in a post above.

Quote "
Daniel - some good questions. The surface is smooth and I want to remove the older compound because it is fairly well loaded with metal and is not cutting very well now. I want to re-apply a coat of compound that will remove a little steel."

:confused:

asm3686

Joined: Dec 5, 2012

Messages: 474

I typically use wd40 and a rag rub it right off then clean the leather with some dish soap and water. Let it dry overnight and reapply the compound

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Josh Rider

Stuff maker

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider

Joined: Sep 2, 2014

Messages: 2,427

Hopefully he got it off a decade ago.

probrwr

Joined: Dec 31, 2015

Messages: 69

Hopefully he got it off a decade ago.

Thats funny!

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Mo2

Joined: Apr 8, 2016

Messages: 6,630

if its the rough side i use sand paper. then i apply a leather shoe restore compound to keep the leather fresh so to say. something without waxes. i searched bladeforums for it, i dont recall what it was off hand.

then re-apply stroping compound after a day or two of that setting in. as for the smooth side, i dont have a smooth side strop atm, so i dunno.

the problem with many things mentioned here, is it will dry the leather out, you should treat it afterwords.