Thread: I got a linen really clean. Now it has no wax. What do I do?

Originally Posted by icecow

Why are you so bent on getting between me and my Uber strop???

(maybe I should see a doctor).

Forget the doctor bro...there aint no cure for this, believe me

Maybe we need a new forum, SRA (Straight Razors Anonymous)

Scott

And deal with various disorders like StAD, SoAD, RAD, HAD etc etc etc

As I said, no problem with a little conditioner but these guys have you ready for saddle soap, cleaners, lather, goop, conditioner, etc.... before you even get going.
Just start small.


Not so sure about the deer hide thing. I do remember way back when we were trying to decide what Juchten meant and also Rindleader. I think someone came up with a translatiuon of "rind" meaning "buck", or a male deer. In Dovo's dealer catalogs they define Juchten as "Russian Type Leather" and Rindleder as "Cowhide".


Tony

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Not so sure about the deer hide thing. I do remember way back when we were trying to decide what Juchten meant and also Rindleader. I think someone came up with a translatiuon of "rind" meaning "buck", or a male deer. In Dovo's dealer catalogs they define Juchten as "Russian Type Leather" and Rindleder as "Cowhide".

Tony

Tony, I'm not sure either, but I also remember that conversation. I also remember a translation like that, but when I translate Juchten online, I get nothing, only DOVO's reference as Russia leather, and Rindleather is cattle leather.

Nenad

Well I read through but no one else seems to dress the linen strop? My father did it so just copied him. He would melt some clear parrafin wax and mix in some pur gum turpentine when off the heat. He would carry on adding the turpentine till a putty type past was achieved. This paste he would add talc too till white or rottenstone, needing it in till uniform grey/white. The white paste was for his finishing strop and the grey was for his setting strop, his terms not mine though I do use them as a habit
I have considered why he did this and can only put it down to:
Talc is a finer abrasive than rottenstone so talc for the finishing strop, rottonstone for the setting strop. as to why parrafin wax and turpentine, your guess is as good as mine. I do use similar recipies for stoppings and plank seam and caulking cotton preparation. In caulking cotton it works as a moisture barrier and preservative.

I should point out that both strops were never dressed on the leather but he had a ritual of rubbing his strop over his hair from time to time and allways palm rubbed them before setting a razor to work over them.

I expect most treatments are passed on this way but without the inheritor understanding why, just blindly following the example if it works.

PuFF (missing his DAD)

p.s. I should point out that this paste was rubbed on like shop bought paste till linen was covererd completely inc all the grain. Then he would melt this in with an iron and paper. Then he would bottle over it till a small amount was left at either end of the strop linen. This would then be scraped off and re bottled till a smooth glass like sheen was over the whole surface. I Have only had to redress once in my 24 years shaving, to his strops. It seems to have a better feel after having been used for a while.

Footnote, the smell takes a while to go

I intend to try linen without this dressing with my new strop when it comes (impulse buy, this forum is to blame for my lighter wallet ) I will find it interresting to see the difference.

PuFFaH,

Excellent info. Thank you. This sheds a great deal of light on how the wax was prepared and applied.

I imagine the parafin / turp mixture could also be used without abrassive agent, if desired. As far as using this on new strops, I'm guessing it would only work on linen (or cotton canvas) strops that haven't been filled or sealed, and not the newer IRS Co strops. These have a plastic/resinous filling and I don't think the wax wouldn't be able to penetrate into the grain.

Scott

I can't say that this is what the method used by the likes of DOVO, just the method employed by my father. I am sure the process and material is different in todays linen strops. I would assume the use of soap is employed or soap like substance?

I have read how some look for the "draw" from thier strops, this I have not felt with the parrafin wax method. The surface is self lubricating and long lasting and only needs to be warmed to re-dress so that the wax/talc/rottonstone mixture sits in the fibres of the linen. Like I said the smell is a sweet sickly smell for quite some time and you may find the wife complaining. I have no experiance with other methods to coment. Thats why I'm here

If the linen would work well without dressing, I would only worry about the wear to the strop or its cutting charactoristics. Would it cut more aggresivly and as such ruin a good honed edge? I have seen that Dovo sell linen dressing, is this a wax/soap based paste or cream? Do some not use lather to dress thier linen?

Answers quick before Tonys strops arrive

PuFF

PuFFah, thanks for the great info! This will go into my permanent collection right now!

Originally Posted by urleebird

Ilija... that is a super tip. I have a question though. I'm dang near 60 and have never gotten wax on my pants. What would a person be doing to get wax on their pants?

Toilet paper is best for absorbing any grease on textile or even a piece of ordinary paper!

Purhaps someone here may be able to figure a better diluent for the parrafin wax other than Gum Turpentine, (It does SMELL ) ? Blantons straight uncut Kentucky Bourbon?
Could/would it not be possible to enquire with the likes of Dovo to see what they use for the linen preparation?

PuFF