Thread: Clues from strop patents

Interesting to read the patents filed for strops in the past...
http://www.google.com/patents?q=razor+strop

While the inventions may be suspect, the abstracts describe the problems they were trying to solve, which provide clues as to the expectations men had of their strops when stropping was common place. For instance, patent #1479030 states "Very few users of razors are able to keep the edge on their razors, due largely to improper stropping. The strop is often held so tightly that the strop scarcely touches the real edge at all, while on the other hand is the strop is loosely held the strop rounds off the edge and ruins the blade until honed." That patent was for an invention sure to fix both problems. Then there are the curious ones like the one that has a magnifier built into the end of the strop (there's an idea for you Tony! ).

Interesting.

- Dale

Pretty neat!

A few of those I've seen and owned..........

I was looking for the "2002 Tony Miller" Strop Patent!

Here is an idea for Tony's next travel strop design:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=q9Z...+strop#PPP1,M1

I like the handle pouch idea for the razor!

C utz

Originally Posted by C utz

Here is an idea for Tony's next travel strop design:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=q9Z...+strop#PPP1,M1

I like the handle pouch idea for the razor!

C utz

That is pretty cool. I like it too. Simple idea. Have to be a pretty flexible strop leather. Seems like it might crease the strop.