I Got Paddled !

My adventures in SR shaving is certainly only beginning but I came to find out quickly that drilling holes in the bathroom vanity to hang my strop was shot down. Plan B - hang it on the hand towel ring with the clip that came with it. Seemed like a good plan, but working the strop was dicey as putting to much pressure on the strop to keep it "taught" may pull the lightly mounted towel ring out of the wall. Besides, I think it is supposed to be fairly free of movement when stropping the SR.

Plan C - get a paddle strop. Seems like all failures in life are just educational experiences waiting to happen. Plan C was the answer. I acquired the SRD L.A. modular paddle strop. Flat, easy to work, and has helped me improve my technique immensely. I haven't used any of the other "mediums" that came with the paddle other than the plain leather. It came with a bottle of diamond dust liquid but I think I will wait a bit to work that. Always nice to have something that I can grow into as my knowledge and experience grows.

I am in week two now, and loving the experience. Although I pulled off my first chin/mustache shave the other day, subsequent shaves continue to show me that I have a lot of practice/work to do. I look forward to the process every morning. Even getting up earlier to make sure my shave experience doesn't get slighted or rushed.

I highly recommend the paddle strop if you are just starting out like I am!

I have the same paddle and love it!Going on 2.5 years I have not bothered to buy anything more for a strop.

Well into my second year and the paddle is working too good to change for me. I can do it anywhere sitting down and that is a ++ for me. I have 4 or 5 hangers but just don't use them much.

Almost jealous...

Ohh Wait,
Great start into the art, and the SRD paddle is not to be scoffed at, well period.

As far as putting holes in the vanity, a standard cup hook screwed in from underneath, they will never see it. I can take pics if you would like.

Now for the getting up early, I get up early enough an evening shave suites me a good part of the time.

I couldn't agree more about the SRD modular paddle strop! I've be SR shaving for 7 months and just bought the paddle a couple of weeks ago and I have to say my edges have been consistently better. I wish I would have purchased the paddle first! As far as getting up earlier in the morning...I find it is much easier to get up when you have something to look forward too each day! Keep up the good work, and very good advise!

You can try tapping an eye hook into a stud and clipping the strop onto the same. That's how I have my two strops set up by my vanity. Firmly anchored, no worries about ripping the rack off the wall and no worries about soapy mess dripping on it either.

Indeed! Thanks

I just hang mine from the door knob. I seem to be the voice of opposition as I prefer my hanging strops to my paddle, now don't get me wrong I do still love my SRD paddle but I really only use it for traveling and prefer my hanging strops for daily stropping.

I've created the best of both worlds. Faced with a heavy hand that presses into things to heavily and having no room in the bathroom for a bench strop or paddle I created my own hanging bench strops. I have two vintage Russian hide strops (one with my last name on it - old barber supply house in NYC) and a 3 inch wide English leather strop. I cut 1/4 inch particle board the width and 2 inches short of the length of each strop, sandwiched them between the linen and the leather and wrapped Velcro bands top and bottom to keep them in place. I have 3 hanging bench strops that I've learned to do whisper quiet stropping on. I am happy.

I don't have a paddle strop but I found gssixgun's advise to lay my hanging strop on a flat surface invaluable. I've only been at this for less than a month and maybe 10 shaves but that was a HUGE tip