Thread: Strop

What is the best bang for the buck for begginer strop

Originally Posted by Derb25

What is the best bang for the buck for begginer strop

For just starting out and for relatively little money, I don’t think you can beat the WhippedDog poor man strop kit.

http://www.whippeddog.com/products/v...-man-strop-kit

Originally Posted by DZEC

For just starting out and for relatively little money, I don’t think you can beat the WhippedDog poor man strop kit.

http://www.whippeddog.com/products/v...-man-strop-kit

Agreed. This is what I started with. You will ruin your 1st one anyway.

That’s what I have been looking at by it is only 2” so I’m not sold on the “X” pattern

Originally Posted by Derb25

That’s what I have been looking at by it is only 2” so I’m not sold on the “X” pattern

As many of the experienced folks on this site suggest, practice with a butter knife until you feel confident in the X-stroke. If you intend to hone your own eventually, it’s a movement you will need to get familiar with. Until you feel comfortable with a hanging strop, lay it on the edge of a counter top and practice stropping with it flat.

Most hanging strops are 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide and you will pay extra for a 3 inch strop. As MrHouston said, you are going to nick your first strop anyway so you might as well develop. Your skills on something inexpensive.

You could also buy a 3” bench strop for under $40 and learn on that.

Best to learn the x stroke from the beginning. It's the only way to guarantee that you get the entire edge. I would use it no matter how wide the strop.

You can look on ebay and pick up a cheap strop to practice on. You need to learn the x stroke anyway. like the others have said you will ruin your first strop. Good luck.

WhippedDog has other inexpensive options as well.

http://www.whippeddog.com/products/find/dog-deals

You will eventually have to master the X-stroke if you want to straight shave. Best to start out early with it regardless of the first strop you buy.

It is along the same lines as learning to use both hands when shaving with a straight, or learning to hone with one hand and flipping the razor the correct way. The X stroke on a strop is best so learn it in the beginning and you will be better off. And when learning the shave and/or hone...

I started with whippeddogs richmans strop. A little more hardware but still a piece of leather that will work fine and not cost you a lot when you hide it in the trash after you have learned and bought a nice strop.

No matter the width of your strop you should use an X stroke.
Also Illinois makes some hard working and inexpensive strops.