Thread: Rookie Status

Hello gents!

I am a new member and this is my first post. I'm extremely excited to be a part of an awesome community of people who share a passion for the art of shaving and who display brilliance in an encouraging way. Classy.

I currently restore vintage razors (going on 3 months) and I'm fairy new. One thing I'm a little hazy on is stropping. I've read what the SRP Wiki has to offer. I was just wondering if you gentlemen would be kind enough to share with me some of your favorite/ best strops for under $100. Thank you all!

Michael

Star Shaving Supplies has a number of good strops. I just brought an English Bridle leather strop with felt strop from them. If you are learning to strop I suggest that you look at Whipped Dog and his inexpensive strops to practice on since, like most learners, you probable will cut the hell out of it. It takes a lot of slow learning for muscle memory to set in so that you are competent in controlling speed and pressure. Too much of each or both can ruin a strop quickly. SRD has a number of excellent strops also when you feel you want to step up from a learners strop. Most come 2-1/2 to 3 inches wide. Traditionaly most people learn on a 2-1/2 or 2-3/4 inch wide strop to establish a good x pattern. Many think this enhances the edge. Many also feel a 3 inch wide strop is ideal because you only have to concentrate on speed and pressure. And too much pressure can ruin an edge quite rapidly. Hope this helps

Yeah, I would echo razorfeld in regards to starting with inexpensive strops. My first strop ended up almost unusable after I covered it in nicks and cuts.

Hi and welcome. Check out the stroptober thread at the beginning of the stropping forum. A chesp but quality strop can be had many places. The most common are as razorfeld said whipped dog, star shaving, the Illinois razor company. Also many of the replacement peice strops as you just replace the stropping surface as its worn or you want something new. Doing a search for cheap strops might get you some useful information. Good luck and any questions feel free to ask. Ed

Hello and welcome as well.

I've been straight razor shaving for about 6 months, and that whole time I have been using a Star Shaving Big Daddy 3" Latigo Leather/Felt strop. As all beginners, I have cut up the leather part a bit, but it is still going strong. Star Shaving sells leather replacement pieces for the strop, so I could get a new leather piece down the road if needed. I heavily recommend my strop and think that the extra width was very handy.

Great suggestions all the way around.

I'll add in another. Glen Mercurio over at gemstarcustoms, gssixgun and the benefactor of this site Straight Razor Designs, Lynn Abrams also have great offerings.

I'm still using the non-sense out of my board strop from Glen. It's broken in quite nicely and in the beginning, it removes one of the pitfalls every new stropper must deal with.

Oh, and as per the strop width, go for a 3" as you're sure to cover the whole blade and you won't have to learn the X-stroke right away. Too many things to concentrate on in the beginning anyway.

Welcome and enjoy the journey!

Thank you for your responses. Much appreciated. I'll definitely look into all of the great suggestions. Good day.