Thread: Setup question

Hey all,

I've just paid for my first razors, and they should be arriving in around 2 weeks, before which point I need to purchase a brush (easy enough) and a strop. This second item is causing me a little confusion about what I need. I'm looking at getting a 3" Red Latigo with 3" Cotton Herringbone Linen (for when the edges need a touchup - needless to say I won't be using it straight away, as the razors are all being properly honed before posting). At this stage I'm going to get it from SRD for $75.98 pp. Does this strop sound about right or am I being overly ambitious with it or being ripped off?
Also, does Latigo require any sort of special ongoing treatment compared to regular leather, or any elaborate breaking in method compared to regular leather?

Cheers in advance for the help,
Tom

Well, if you are buying your strop from SRD you know two things. First, you are absolutely not getting ripped off. Don and Lynn are beyond reproach. Second, they will be glad to advise you as to which strop will suit your needs best. I like the latigo strops, but their Premium strops are my favorite.

None of these strops need much in the way of special care. You can use a strop or leather dressing (available from most of the strop suppliers) or you can just give the strop a vigorous rubbing once in a while which seems to transfer oils from your hand to the leather and to burnish the surface of the strop nicely.

I think SRD is having a sale on brushes , too, but you should check their web site as I am not sure.

as someone else that is only a couple months into it myself I can not urge you enough to buy a cheap "practice" strop first. You will be stropping after your first shave and you absolutely without a doubt will nick it... more than once more than likely. Heck I nicked mine again last night after a couple months of use. I am getting close to the point that I will likely buy a nicer one but not until I am sure I can use it without nicking it.

Hopefully that sale on the shavemac brushes sticks around for a bit though... Those prices are awesome.

Originally Posted by DustinW

Hopefully that sale on the shavemac brushes sticks around for a bit though... Those prices are awesome.

I'm trying to not look at them.

Originally Posted by DustinW

as someone else that is only a couple months into it myself I can not urge you enough to buy a cheap "practice" strop first. You will be stropping after your first shave and you absolutely without a doubt will nick it... more than once more than likely. Heck I nicked mine again last night after a couple months of use. I am getting close to the point that I will likely buy a nicer one but not until I am sure I can use it without nicking it.

Hopefully that sale on the shavemac brushes sticks around for a bit though... Those prices are awesome.

SRD offers a replacement leather for the latigo strop, in case one might place a terminal nick on one's latigo strop. Tony Miller (The Well Shaved Gentleman) offers practice strops.

Originally Posted by Tonsor

SRD offers a replacement leather for the latigo strop, in case one might place a terminal nick on one's latigo strop. Tony Miller (The Well Shaved Gentleman) offers practice strops.

Personally, I would go for Tony's practice strop. Chances are you will hack it to pieces, and in the event, you will get a nice strop for pastes. Cf. my first Dovo strop...

SRD's strops look yummy, though.