Thread: beginner strop? can it be too small?

I agree more with tekbow than with holli4pirating; the narrower strop will force you to learn the X-stroke. I have a 2 1/2" hanging strop and a 3" paddle strop and am more comfortable using the narrower one. That might be because it's the one I learned on, and I just can't get used to the relatively immobile surface of the paddle strop. Since this will be the one you learn on, it might make everything else seem odd to you later.

However... Because there is so much less working surface area on this strop (1.4" by 8.5"), you'll have to perform many more strokes to achieve a "standard" amount of stropping. Most strops are about as wide and 2 to 3 times as long as most bench hones; the strop you're looking at is half as wide and about as long as a typical bench hone. So where I do 80 strokes on my hanging strop, you might have to do 160 or more for the same effect on this travel strop. For that reason, I'd recommend against this for your daily strop. It would be a very nice second strop, but unless you're someone who really loves stropping you might get tired of using it, or might not be patient enough to strop on it as long as your razor needs. I think my own patience would run thin on such a small surface.

You are correct that it will be a better travel strop. Hanging strops don't travel well.

With the two sides, you can put CrOx (or other) paste on one, for occasional touch-up rather than daily use.

Whatever you get, before you strop a razor on it, practice a while with something like a butter knife, so you build some muscle memory.

I frequently buy from the vendor you linked to; he's a nice guy, has good products, and I'm always impressed at how quickly my order arrives.