Thread: ?My First Strop?

Alright folks, I have searched and read....read and searched and now I am stuck between two strops. I HAVE decided to get one of Tony's strops as to do otherwise would seem to go against almost everyones advice. So that narrows things down a bit...My real problem is this.....I have seen strong advice suggesting that for a beginner with a limited budget that a 4 sided paddle with 3 pasted is the way to go. This allows for "easy" tune ups with out having to hone for some time. I have even read the debate of pastes vs hones. I do know that I will be getting some hones myself in the future. My other choice would be one of the Artisans with linen and d-ring handles (+practice strop) and worry about pastes and hones later. BUT I am a goldsmith and I like to fiddle with metal AND I am not too inclined to keep sending my blade out to another when I could learn to do it myself.

So, If I plan on becoming a jr. honemeister what way of getting there would you suggest, which strop to start with?

Thanks, Dave

Oh, and Tony please feel free to reply as your going to get a sale either way....

Just get the artisan hanging strop (I really like the genuine linen over the regular canvas one) and a practice strop. Seeing you are a goldsmith, I know you are handy with your hands so making a simple paddle strop or two should not be much of a challenge for you. It need not look nice, just a flat stick and a piece of smooth leather glued on with either woodworking glue or contact cement. I suspect you have access to polishing compounds like Chromium Oxide and the various rouges so you probably don't even have to buy that. Daily stropping is best done on a hanging strop and as long as you don't care about looks but are capable of making your own flat leather surface, you don't really need one of Tony's paddles... you'll probably want one, but you don't NEED one right now. That's the route I would take....


Christian

If you see yourself as a budding honemeister then the path is clear. Get a plain hanging strop with a linen component and then plan on getting a Norton 4K/8K later followed by a Coticule and maybe even a Norton 1K down the road. Of course there are other hone options like the DMTs and Spydercos but the Norton is the standard. Also don't say controversial referring to hones versus pastes. There is nothing conroversial about it. Just two different methods for the short term. Some prefer one and others prefer the other but eventually everyone needs the hone.

Thanks guys, anyone else have thoughts or reasons?

BTW Spendur you were correct using contraversial in that way wasn't right. Oh and I like the Hamilton better

Originally Posted by Belegnole

Thanks guys, anyone else have thoughts or reasons?

BTW Spendur you were correct using contraversial in that way wasn't right. Oh and I like the Hamilton better

Here are a couple reasons:









!

Cheers!

I opted for a 2-sided pasted paddle, and an Artisan hanging strop. The intention is to pick up a 4k/8k soon and use the paddle for touching up and final finishing.

SmooveRN,
Just sent you a PM. Those wrinkles worry me as that is not typical of how I would send one out. There may be small hide defects from time to time but that condition, if new and not "owner improved" or "worked over"<g> is not acceptable. If it happened in use it certainly won't hurt anything but if it arrived like that I'll fix you up.

Send me a PM or e-mail so I can learn a bit more about what you have there now.

Thanks,
Tony

Not being an expert by an means at this point, but could this leather be stretchy/soft or getting pulled a bit too hard and cupping? The reason I ask is because I can see deformations starting just below the bolts(?) and becoming very apparent just below the hallmark. With the assumed high points showing darkening due to contact with the razor and the interior showing wrinkles. This is seen the best in the second to last picture.

Oh, and I am still purchasing one of yours Tony, this attention to the quality of your product just proves what others have said....just not quite sure which one yet..

Tony's post speaks volumes about quality products and concern for customer satisfaction.

Stretching should not cause this as the top and bottom hardware and multiple Chicago screws spreads the forces out very well. I realize the side lighting is exagerating the wrinkles but they are not acceptable to me.
Frequently we will have healed scars, etc... that cannot be felt so it becomes a judgement call on appearance, wrinkles though, with or against the path of the razor don't meet my requirements.
I'm sending Joshua a replacement leather for ths strop. I feel bad I let one slip out like this and part of why we have changed how we sell our products now. Things on our storefront are only being listed and sold at my pace, it may take a bit longer, some things will not always be listed for sale, but I take this stuff personally and I need to be proud of what I let go out even if everyone needs to wait for me to release products. I'm not proud of this one.

Tony