Thread: 2.5" vs 3" - What's the Deal?

I prefer 2 1/2" strops. I feel as if I a more control with this size. I also think that it generates more friction from the draw to polish the razors edge. I have some 1" paddle strops that work great. I attribute performance to less dispersion of surface area and it generates a good amount of friction. I think a 3" disperses this the weight and requires a more spine pressure to generate as good a draw.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

(BTW, I'm don't warm my car up..a 1995 Saturn with 200,000+ miles on it. I figure it's only got so many hours of life left and I won't waste them sitting in front of the house)

Tony

The Batmobile and I (the Batmobile being what my daughter calls my '94 Mazda, closing in on 200,000) don't want to hear this talk of automotive mortality!

Sorry, back to the topic ... your starter (when we get the other bills out of the way and send the order!) will be my first strop, which I notice is 2 1/2"--I always just assumed wider would be better and didn't reflect that the need to do an X-pattern might actually benefit the blade. There's always something new to be learned here.

--Rich

Originally Posted by Kenrup

I prefer 2 1/2" strops. I feel as if I a more control with this size. I also think that it generates more friction from the draw to polish the razors edge. I have some 1" paddle strops that work great. I attribute performance to less dispersion of surface area and it generates a good amount of friction. I think a 3" disperses this the weight and requires a more spine pressure to generate as good a draw.

Ken,
Agreed. I wonder if this was part of the thinking with the most commonly found, standard 1 1/2" natural hones in Europe (Belgians and Eschers) and the 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" strop so popular there too.

Even our normal barber hones were 2 1/2"

Tony

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Ken,
Agreed. I wonder if this was part of the thinking with the most commonly found, standard 1 1/2" natural hones in Europe (Belgians and Eschers) and the 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" strop so popular there too.

Even our normal barber hones were 2 1/2"

Tony

Thinking about the reasons the sizes in Europe may have evolved. During the heyday of shaving from 1890s on, Europe was at war or just recovering from war. Not to mention the depression era. The costs and availability of materials my have forced manufacturers to figure out what was the most efficient and economical medium. I suspect it's function following economics.

Originally Posted by Unit 91

Where is strop dressing even sold? Is it similar to the conditioner one would use on a baseball glove?

Anyone? Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by Unit 91

Anyone? Thanks in advance.

You can use ball glove oil or 100% Neatsfoot Oil. I get my Neatsfoot Oil from Tandy Leather Factory. But then I buy it by the quart. A few drops will go a very long way on a strop.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

(BTW, I'm don't warm my car up..a 1995 Saturn with 200,000+ miles on it. I figure it's only got so many hours of life left and I won't waste them sitting in front of the house)

Tony

I'm the proud owner of a 1996 Saturn. My wife wants me to sell it but no am I selling that old warrior for a third of what it's worth!