Thread: Question About My Strop

At the recommendation of forum members here i bought this Strop: Illinois Razor Strop 2.5" x 23" Imperial Russia with Handle - Knifecenter.com

It just came in the mail. If you look at it it has 4 different canvases that could be used for stropping. I am of course familiar with the leather. But what's the purpose of the other 3 canvases, and when would I use them?

Excuse me, but I see one canvas and one leather in the pics.

i think they are counting sides

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Excuse me, but I see one canvas and one leather in the pics.

I meant it has four separate places that you could run a blade across

Are the two inside ones useless? and only the leather and canvass on the outside good?

yes, just use the outside surfaces. linen first, leather last.

you have a canvas and leather side the other two are the backing for the canvas and leather

If you see on the opposite side of the leather part of the strop has those deep groves that I figure are there for the reason.

And in all the videos i see no one stropped with canvass. When is it appropriate to strop with canvass?

Originally Posted by j03

If you see on the opposite side of the leather part of the strop has those deep groves that I figure are there for the reason.

And in all the videos i see no one stropped with canvass. When is it appropriate to strop with canvass?

The grooves are part of the russian tanning process, strop on the smooth side. Strop on linen/canvas side first 25-30 strokes, be careful with your technique keep the blade flat, move the razor in the direction of the spine.Be sure to move the razor diagonally along the strop to ensure the entire blade is stropped, creating the beloved X pattern. Then do the same on the front of the leather(smooth side) 30-50 strokes. Before every shave.
BE SURE TO ROLL THE RAZOR OVER ON THE SPINE AND NOT THE EDGE!

i recieved an illinois 827 strop today.

the rough side of the leather faces out, while the finished side (lighter tan and ribbed in the photos above) is on the inside.

does anyone have experience with these? my 127's have the smooth side out, which is what i had expected.

Originally Posted by hults

i recieved an illinois 827 strop today.

the rough side of the leather faces out, while the finished side (lighter tan and ribbed in the photos above) is on the inside.

does anyone have experience with these? my 127's have the smooth side out, which is what i had expected.

Hults, that's just a charachteristic of the "russian" part of the process. Anytime you see "russian" leather, that doesn't mean it came from russia: it's just the term given for when the rough side is compressed by pressure from the smooth side. It gives a draggier feel often, and can work quite well. I believe that the 827 is Gssixguns everyday strop.

sometimes the smoothside is imprinted with a ||||||||||||||||| pattern like yours has, sometimes its an XXXXXXXXX pattern.