Thread: French Strop?

Well I succumbed to defeat and threw away my £30 strop which I managed to drop in the bath. While I was buyin a replacement, the gentleman in Trumper's showed me what I think he called a French Strop. Essentially, a paddle strop but one side was made of wood. Are these meant to be any good? Do you use the wooden side with a paste like a normal linen strop?

I'm sure you could paste the wood, yes.

However - why did you throw away the strop? I have reconditioned a few, which involved soaking in the bath tub (my wife was not happy because the leather actually stained the tub )

They may not be as good as new, but they still work great!

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by izlat

I'm sure you could paste the wood, yes.

Oui

I know, it just seems a little odd. If you accidently catch the wood, you could do the blade a lot of damage. I tried sorting the old strop out but it really wasn't taking it well!

I don't think the wood would be used as regular daily strop but I've read where people do paste the wood (balsa?) with something like chromium oxide an use it as a hone to refresh the edge every so often.

Was the other side made with leather? If so, I would think that you'd use the leather for daily stropping and paste the wood for edge maintenance.


In any case, the motion on the wood would be like stropping (meaning spine leading, edge trailing)

Hm, I read your previous post. Sometimes, you actually have to soak the strop, for a long time, and then lay it flat to dry...

Stropping motion cannot really do that much damage unless you do something really crazy? Don't worry about it too much, just pay attention and don't press hard

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by rupert87

I know, it just seems a little odd. If you accidently catch the wood, you could do the blade a lot of damage. I tried sorting the old strop out but it really wasn't taking it well!