Thread: Strop Widths? Is wide really better than narrow ?

English,
An interesting point is strop length. I have made long ones and short ones and have settled on a 17" to 18" usable stropping surface in a 24" to 29" length as working well for most. I find an overly long strop seems to have more side to side swing in use and I feel as if I have less control. Too short and I feel my stroke is hindered a bit at each end.

As a comparison I am 6' 6" tall with long arms (36" sleeve on a dress shirt) and the 17-18" length feels about right to me.

Tony

Tony,

I wouldn't disagree with what you say at all and I do agree that a longer strop does tend to swing and twist.

What I have enjoyed about the long length of leather is the ease of getting a bit of speed up on the strop.

It's a bit like you can go faster if the road is longer.

In practical term though, I don't know that the blade is any sharper as a result and that is what really matters.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

As a comparison I am 6' 6" tall with long arms (36" sleeve on a dress shirt) and the 17-18" length feels about right to me.

Wow! I'm only 6'1" tall, but I wear 37" sleeves on a long-sleeved shirt... and my knuckles don't drag

(and I prefer 3" strops)

English,
I do agree that shorther does slow one down a bit as one needs to mind the ends whether leather caps as on mine or bare metal on others.

Each step is a trade off and I switch favorites quite often.

Quite honestly if I were to only make what I wanted it would be a 2 1/2" Artisan, either buffed horse or Red Latigo and my 4 sided paddle. To me this is all anyone needs if you want my favorites..........But, the public likes wide, still it seems...and some like dees, some linen, etc.....

(To round out the store: For pure honing I'd still sell the vintage NOS 2 1/2" x 5" Thuringens. For razors, well, the least expensive Dovo that still gave me a natural handle material like wood or horn or bone and a Rooney No.1 Finest Badger.)

Tony

I prefer 1 1/4" to 2" wide strops. I seem to get better results with them. My favorite strop is a piece of hand selected latigo 1 3/4" wide with a grommet in one end of it. My second favorite is an old Torrey "stretcher" type that is 1 1/4" wide.

I have had several hangers of 2 1/2" or better, but gave all but one away.

I can't see width making any diff to the quality of edge you get only the ease with wich you get that result

I prefer a 2.5" strop, only because I can get away with less X motion A 2" strop has more control for my taste and the 3" inhibits stropping selected areas by running the risk of grazing from toeing or heeling the razor. That said, all will strop a razor to the same end result.

PuFF

i started with a 2.5 in ilinois. i liked it. then i got a 2.75 russian superior. i really like it. the biggest difference i like is not the width, but the length. 17 inches vs 21ish(have not measured.)

and i have some old 1.5 in paddles with padded leather on 2 sides and a hone on the 3rd. i liked this for the pastes. doing 10 laps on this is much less intrusive than 10 laps on my russian. my other favorite strop is a home made 2 side paddle. 18 inches of leather long, 1.75 inches wide. one side plain, one side cro ox. that thing is golden. that is what i finish honing on before my hanging strop.

vgod