Thread: Dodgy Strop? well it was dirt cheap (€10)

Hi,
Would you mind taking a look at this strop please, I'm particularly interested if the leather side is ok for using on a SR? It's a little hairy but feels very soft to the touch. It only cost me €10 to have made up. Other side is linen I think.
Does it cut the mustard in your opinion?
Thanks

It looks like a napped leather and some use that like the kanayama strops that have a secondary or intermediate stropping surface.

There is nothing wrong with it but as a final strop you might want one with a smooth finished surface to it.

It is not so much that it feels soft, is it smooth and clean. Contamination is the biggest problem with dual sided paddle strops. One side is always down on a counter surface.

Stropping is the final polish, and if the surface is contaminated it will scratch the bevel and edge instead of polishing it. Dust on a strop will scratch a bevel.

Make a cardboard sleeve to store the strop in when not in use. If you paste one side mark the sleeve to ensure you store it with the pasted side touching the same side of the sleeve.

What are the dark spots on the leather?