Thread: 2" or 3" strop?

Hello All! Another one of these str8 noobs here. I'm thinking about purchasing my first blade and strop. With regards to the strop, is a 3" better? What are the advantages or disadvantages? Thanks.

It's really a matter of personal preference. With a 3" Strop, you won't be doing the X pattern. With a 2" you will. I have each, and kinda rotate what I use. If I had to pick one, it'd be Tony Miller's 3" Red Latigo Strop. I'd have to say that's my fav...
Now, SRD has quality strops as well...

Welcome slt5103,
I have a 2" and a 3", both are good, but i prefer the 3" SRD Latigo...no x-pattern required. If ya can afford the extra cost, its worth it.

Good luck,
Mac

most of my strops are 2.5", i use x-pattern even on 3"
either would be fine

I think no matter what size you actually get, you might find yourself doing an X-pattern on it anyway. If for some reason you don't want to HAVE to do the x-pattern, then get the 3"...if you don't care and want to save some cash, get the 2", as it will work just as well as the larger stop as long as you practice your x-pattern stroke.

I have a 2.5" IRC strop I got off Amazon - pretty good, doesn't require a huge X-pattern, just enough that the whole blade is covered - maybe about a half inch of overhang?; and was above all cheap, which (as I recall from my search for a starter strop) most 3" strops aren't, at least when compared to the same strop in a slightly narrower width.

I use my great grandpa's 3" wide Russian leather strop. And what was said above is true, you might find yourself doing a X pattern even with the 3 inch. with a 3" it's a very shallow X pattern. You could strop straight up and down the leather but I do the X pattern just to make sure I get the whole blade stropped up right.

Thanks guys! All the input helps.

Get the 2", purely because i want the 3", but can't justify it at the moment. Frankly, it'd make me feel better about it!

If you get a 3", i'm also going to recommend a X pattern. It ensures that the entire blade get's stropped.

3in is what i use now (tony miller) it is the best strop imo, the extra inch makes so much difference