Thread: Barber's Hold

I do put my thumb on top sort-of. I bend the end of the strop over my finger that is underneath, then pinch the strop with my thumb. This bending over my finger seems to hold it comfortably and keeps it straight, without cupping the strop. JMO.
I've tried Glens way but I just can't hold the strop in that position for very long. Weak fingers? Arthritis? Yes, Arthritic for sure, but I'm not sure that has anything to do with this.

I'm not holding the strop level as I normally do in this pick. But it was just to show how I hold it. I like my 3", handled strops better. But when no handle...

BTW, This is the Boar strop from Tom. I'm really liking this one. A slick and hard piece of leather but still a bit nimble. Thanks, Tom and thanks to the pig who parted with it! Ha.

This is beginning to look like a good reason to buy a strop with a handle, or at least a d-ring at the end. My low-cost SRD English bridle and Dovo el-cheapo are configured like this. I know those expensive Kanayamas don't have handles: why the hay not? Just my opinion, but it sounds like spoiling the ship for a hap'porth of tar.

The handle is a much newer thing. Come on man, do it the old fasion way. Just like shaving with a SR, we shave the old fasion way. I do like the handles, but the barber end is not difficult to do.

Originally Posted by Gasman

The handle is a much newer thing. Come on man, do it the old fasion way.

Proof? All the old strops I've seen, and I've seen plenty, had handles. And they were mostly American.

I hold my strops in a similar way like Gasman described, between the thumb and the index finger. It's the most comfortable for me. I haven't used anything else besides my old Japanese strops for the last 8 months. Love them.

my vintage shell from the 1940,s didn't have any handles,, Ton sent me 8-9 shells strops here awhile back to look at all vintage all no handles. never seen an old barbers strop hanging on the chair with handles either

so I guess the proof is that some do some don't the only handle ive ever had on any of mine, I took off Tc

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

my vintage shell from the 1940,s didn't have any handles,, Ton sent me 8-9 shells strops here awhile back to look at all vintage all no handles. never seen an old barbers strop hanging on the chair with handles either

so I guess the proof is that some do some don't the only handle ive ever had on any of mine, I took off Tc

If you look at that old strop, Tc, you can see where Yamamoto's thumb sat on top as he stropped.
He was clearly left-handed as it had to have been his right hand holding the end.

Here is another of his. Not nearly as pronounced/worn as yours.
Yet you can still see it.

Originally Posted by alex1921

I hold my strops in a similar way like Gasman described, between the thumb and the index finger. It's the most comfortable for me. I haven't used anything else besides my old Japanese strops for the last 8 months. Love them.

I bend the strop over the top of my finger so that the end is pointing down. This keeps it flat. If you just pinch it with the thumb on top is where you start to get the cupping from my understanding.

And thanks TC. I had no proof of my statement so to say. It was from my understanding of strops. And i dont remember any barber shops that had handles on there strops. From pics of looking at old strops. I mean sure, there might have been a handle on some of the olds ones, but i dont think it was as much of a standard as it has been in the last 30 years or so.

Plus, this statement was to encourage a guy to give the handle-less strops a good try and not to just buy ones with handles.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I bend the strop over the top of my finger so that the end is pointing down. This keeps it flat. If you just pinch it with the thumb on top is where you start to get the cupping from my understanding.

Yes sir, I do a similar thing. Once I grab/pinch the strop, which is hanging in the closet at eye level, I pull it towards me which makes it bend over my index finger.