Thread: Storing a hanging strop

Hello

I had an interesting conversation with a long time user and maker of leather strops. We talked wet shaving, trends, razors, stropping and other interesting topics. I would like to share one particularly interesting idea, novel to me.

My friend told me, that it is better to keep your hanging strop loosely looped instead of hanging. Raw side goes inside, like in the picture I attached. BTW my friend made this strop.

The reason is that leather stores better when looped, all leather belts should be kept that way.



I would like to ask you, what do you think?

Interesting. Did your friend say specifically what the advantage is? I suspect most folks just leave theirs hanging.

Exactly, so did I. He said that hanging strop warps easier when hanging due to tension.
It is ok to leave it curled on a flat surface as well.

My strop has hung on a hook for over 20 years with no problem. All belt displays in department stores have them hanging straight.

This is exactly why I never had even passing doubt to leave my strop hanging. But, my friend is very experienced and he was sure.

An interesting thought. I would tend to think that a belt is worn in a looped shape and therefore best to store it that way.

I have noticed the shape of my belts when I hang them and can't think of a better thought than this quote that I found at another site.

"hanging them is best. dont worry about the curves and bumps. this means the belt is conforming to you. it has become yours alone. its your soul mate or waist mate or belly mate. the two of you are one." atailor

FWW if the belt is curled as he says, there would be less cupping or crowning across the belt. That said, I find it easier to hang my strops and then about once or twice a year I grab one end in each hand and break it across a table edge about 60-90° by pulling it back and forth across that edge a few times. That aids flexibility.

If.... your strop is hard and dry...DO NOT do this!
~Richard

Originally Posted by Geezer

FWW if the belt is curled as he says, there would be less cupping or crowning across the belt.
~Richard

I agree.

Regards

Kaptain "Sometimes bent out of shape" Zero

All of mine are hanging, some for near 10 years, and the vintage ones off the bay, who knows how long ? That said, I don't discount the info, but I'm going to continue leaving them hanging. I just haven't had any problems, so no point in fixing something that ain't broken.

Originally Posted by Geezer

FWW if the belt is curled as he says, there would be less cupping or crowning across the belt. That said, I find it easier to hang my strops and then about once or twice a year I grab one end in each hand and break it across a table edge about 60-90° by pulling it back and forth across that edge a few times. That aids flexibility.

If.... your strop is hard and dry...DO NOT do this!
~Richard

This got me thinking about storing VS using.

Geezer, I have only met you a few times and have never seen your collection but I assume you have many more strops than needed!

If I had one strop that I used every day then I don't see any issue with hanging it. Even once a week or whatever. It is going to be flexible etc from use.

For a collection that is seldom or never used I am thinking that the rolling idea is good.