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  1. #1
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    Default Hanging my new strop?

    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?

  2. #2
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    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.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  3. #3
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    Default Strop Height

    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.

  4. #4
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnG10 View Post
    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.
    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.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  5. #5
    This is not my actual head. HNSB's Avatar
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    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.

    Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.

  6. #6
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    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.

    Last edited by Bruce; 12-23-2010 at 08:07 PM.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to Bruce For This Useful Post:

    njones0100 (01-01-2011)

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