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It sounds like the 3" Latigo will make you happy. Maybe you will nick it a bit but it's a good strop. I think it's more important to have a good strop to learn on, and get good results, than save 40$ on a mediocre strop. and I think you will have it for a while. Maybe get a few nicks, but as long as you don't slice it in half or anything, it'll be okay
Michael
I agree with mjsorkin. My first strop was a 3" red latigo from Vintage Blades and I was quite happy with it for 2+ years. When I eventually cut it, I was able to get a replacement leather strop from the vendor.
I wouldn't overly worry about nicking your strop. Practice with a butter knife; and when you begin stropping go slow, until you get a feel for the stropping rhythm.
All strops eventually show a little wear. Those little nicks can be removed with some very fine sandpaper. What you don't want to do is cut or gouge your strop deeply.
Whichever vendor you decide to purchase your 3" latigo strop from, make sure that you can get replacement parts for it.
All things considered the Diamant and the strop is a nice set up but with that I would suggest the $22 practice strop to go with it and work with it until you are comfortable to move to the 3" SRD strop that comes with the package offer. Or in the alternative get the Dovo natural you like and the $22 strop and when comfortable with your stropping move on the a strop upgrade. You can also purchase a great starter razor here in the classifieds and order the $22 dollar strop to begin with. :p
I started with an SRD 3" Latigo that I got with my Dovo 5/8 Ebony a couple of months ago. I like it a lot, but found that the heavier draw kind of causes me to push harder/increase pressure as I strop. I recently got one of Star Shaving's "Big Mama" strops, and like it too. It has a lighter draw than the SRD Latigo, which I find less fatiguing and easier to maintain correct light pressure. It's also 3" wide. I am starting to use an x-pattern on the strop instead of just stropping straight back and forth, and am impressed with the improvement this makes to the razor's edge. I have small hands with short fingers, so the style of flip that you see on the stropping videos is a real challenge. I've been turning my wrist to do the flip, but am experimenting with the standard finger-driven style. The lighter draw of the "Big Mama" and its English Bridle leather helps here, too. I'm using less pressure and am going slower, which makes it easier to maintain finger position on the razor's tang and do the flip without fumbling with the blade. BTW, I've nicked both strops a few times now, but they still work just fine.
Also I'd like to mention the Modular Paddle strop. The leather pads are easily replaced if one gets nicked up. While the cost is high in the beginning replacment pads are cheap. Also you get two felts, one rough leather and a diamond spray with the package. With that setup you can do all your stropping, plus your first touch-ups when you are ready for that. All that only applies if you are willing to go for a paddle strop as your first strop and you have 90 bucks to spend.
Just thought I would mention it because I have a modular paddle and I love it.
Michael