Thread: Questions on strops

Well, there are a few abrasive, high grit pastes available. Diamond (0.5 and, I believe, 0.25 micron) sprays are popular, some people use ferric oxide - I believe those, along with CrOx are the main ones.

With the strop, a piece of leather lace or a shoelace or bit of string makes things very easy in terms of attachment to various things around the bathroom area such as door knobs or towel rails etc.

In terms of conditioning the leather, there's a tonne of leather conditioning creams and oils out there. But it really depends on the condition of the strop - if it seems supple and in good condition (and, as it has never been used I suspect it's probably OK), then just rubbing it with your palm before each stropping session will impart enough oil to keep it nice and conditioned. If it seems hard, then a good quality leather conditioner will help (I use a leather "cream" I picked up for good quality handbags - not my handbags, just handbags in general )

James.

I hang my strop at either head height or just above waist height depending on where i am, i do lke at least a bit of uphill. I have to ut a hook in at my new house, thats going to be about solar plexus height, just because of where i have been allowed to put it (on a wall below a towel rail, in a position hidden by towels when not in use).

Jimbo, what do you use on your handbags then, just the cheap stuff?

Originally Posted by Birnando

Yeah, I do that.
My strop hook in the bathroom is mounted at about 6 feet.
I didn't really plan for it, but it was the most natural place to hang them at the time.
Works a charm..

Yep,,, me too,,, mine is mounted at head height,,,, it mounted to the door knob,,,,,

I have paracord looped around my bathroom doorknob and my strops hook on that. No fuss no muss.

I first thought that a pasted strop was super important to maintain a good edge. Which at first was true as I was learning but ultimately leather clean leather is ample.

Not sure if you already have the abrasives, but, if not, you could check out the strop kits at whipped dog- the "poor man's strop kit" comes with a small leather strop (which I find useful for traveling), a piece of balsa already loaded with CrOx and IrOx, extra packets of abrasive, and a packet of neatsfoot oil (which you could use on your other strop if needed). This kit works pretty well for maintaining the edge when first starting out.

I hang mine from the " evening fun swing " which is about chest height. It's a good location incase the missus needs some discipline

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I used to like to watch pro barbers strop when I was a kid, and as I grew older, though you didn't see them too much after the 1970s/80s. Anyway, most all had their strops hanging waist high from their barber chairs. Many of the old Koken chairs had a hook built in to the chair for hanging a strop. I usually attach mine to a zip tie on a door knob. Hangs about waist high and that is how I am used to stropping. That Illinois ought be be a good one IMO.

- - - Ok, not sure where I should post this, but are strops really necessary. I am told that some guys use their arms or on one's upper leg while wearing blue jeans.
- - - And are strops necessary if you have a high enough grit stone or diamond paste.

Originally Posted by Barry2

- - - Ok, not sure where I should post this, but are strops really necessary. I am told that some guys use their arms or on one's upper leg while wearing blue jeans.
- - - And are strops necessary if you have a high enough grit stone or diamond paste.

Probably best posted in its own thread.
But i would say that convention says a strop is necessary, but if you can get a consistent shave by using your upper arm etc then for you they aren't. Can i ask why you dont want to get a strop? If it is financial then they really arent that expensive.