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I need advice on hanging my new strop. What is the best height to hang your strop at? I really don't want to strain my arm having it up to high. I have seen strops hung going downhill and hung above someones head. I know it is probably a matter of preference, but is there a rule of thumb for this?
I followed the lead of professional barbers. Most I've observed back in the old days hung their strops off of a hook built into the barber's chair. This left the strop hanging slightly lower than waist high. For my particular height a door knob is the equivalent and I use a zip tie (cable tie) around the door knob to hook the strop to. This works very well for me but I think it is a matter of getting used to it no matter what height you choose.
I tried a variety of heights. I found that an approximately level strop worked easiest for me. Mounting the hook a little higher (on a towel bar) worked next best. Mounting the hook low (door knob heigth) worked the worse for me, but better than super high (armpit high).
I found the perfect height for a level strop is to mount a U-shaped "robe hook" from the hardware store so that the bottom of the U is level with the bottom of my elbow when my arm was bent at a 90 degree angle. Since the U is approximately 1-1.25" tall, and the ring on the strop slides, the strop height self adjusts to whether I'm barefoot, or wearing slippers :)
I suspect the old-time barbers mounted their strop to their chair since it was more convenient than walking over to the wall.
SRP member and stropmeister extradonaire AFDavis11 also recommended a height where the strop is level with the elbow @ 90 degrees. If I wasn't so used to my slightly below the waist hanger I might have gone over to that too. Might one of these days anyway. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnG10
I think it's really just a matter of getting used to it...
Based on convenience of hanging locations in my shave den, I have one strop that's hung at head height, one hung at about waist height, and one lower than waist height.
I use all of them regularly.
Strop height seems to work the best for those of average height at 36"-42" off the floor. Typical bar height and transaction counter height is 42" off the floor cuz that's just about where most people's elbows are.
Take a piece of masking tape and hold it one hand; stand straight up where you intend to mount your strop, hang the other arm straight down next to the wall at that soon to be strop spot on the wall; raise that non tape holding forearm to horizontal and with your other hand that's holding the chunk of masking tape stick that piece of masking tape on the wall right under the elbow of that horizontally waiting forearm. Bingo and voila'. Mount your strop at that elevation.
:beer2:
Seems like I remember reading in an old timey shaving manual that the strop should be pointing down slightly when stropping, which would equate to some comments above.
I prefer mine nice and level. I suggest you try a variety of positions and make up your own mind.
I tried a few heights. Door knob, towel bar, counter height. I finally went with the hand towel ring thats by the sink. About chest high. I found that I could see what I was doing better at that height with out my glasses on. I use a small loop of leath to attach the strop clip. I really need to install a hook on the wall because with the towel ring I have to pull pretty tight to keep the strop tight and the ring from bouncing up and down too much. Too many points that move.
I must be in the minority but I hang mine on my towel hook on the back of my door. Guess that would be about head height. Then to strop I pull it tight and basically strop up and down at a slight incline.
Dougger,
I have two (2) hooks on the back of my bathroom door; one at head height, the other at waist, so are ideal for use with both the hangng strop camps !
Personally I have come to prefer the waist height level.
Have fun & a Merry Christmas :)
Best regards
Russ
Waist high is the norm, and seems to work best...
