Thread: Question about new strop

Hi, I just got my Illinois #827 strop from CS in the mail to find it has a strange "rippled" pattern on the leather side. Being my first strop I assumed this was normal, but haven't been able to see such a pattern on any other strop pictures I've seen. Since the purpose of a strop is to smooth out the edge, having a 'wavy' texture seems to me like the opposite of what you'd want. Wouldn't the bumps damage the edge?

I just wanted to know if this is typical/normal. Pics follow.

Thanks!

Yes those ridges are intentional on that model. There's an old thread on this here.

Normally I would not comment on another makers strop but the thread refered to was mine when I first bought a commercially made strop so maybe clarification is in order.

The back of an 827 should be ridged, the front just rough. The 827 uses the inner flesh side of the hide instead of the outer top grain side as it's working surface. The ridges on the back were pressed in to compress the leather and make a firm stropping surface on the front. The front side really should be smooth end to end but with a coarse texture. Ridges and texture are two different things. I have not seen an 827 lately but do not remember a ridged front. The coarsness does a nice job but I would still prefer to finish on a smooth strop afterwards.

There are many threads here about how to smooth the roughness of an 827....The why escapes me though. if you want a smooth strop from Illinois buy the 127, an identical product but with a smooth surface. If you want a slight napp to the strop lightly sand the 127. The 827 was designed to be coarse so why try to make it into a different model.

The Illinois products are just fine and I was a dealer for them for a few months immediately after that original post but then took a different path.

Tony

Oh, this one definitely has ripples on the front. It's rough textured, but gives a 'washboard' sound if you run something down it's length due to these ridges.

Could this be why my razor doesn't pass the HHT anymore? It did when I first got it. I've been stropping it on this, gently, no pressure, strop pulled tight; but if it's a rough leather strop will it ever become keen enough? It's quite grabby now when I shave with it; and I can only manage a WTG pass without getting razor burn.

At any rate I'll likely get the 127 since I wasn't aware the 827 was a rough strop.