Thread: Holding a strop

Put your hand in front of the hanging strop, palm up, thumb towards the strop. Slide the strop between middle and ring fingers, palm still facing up. Pinch strop firmly between middle and ring finger and rotate your hand towards you so the palm is now facing down. The strop curls neatly over the index and middle fingers with the handles pointing down towards the ground. apply thumb and strop away!

Basically you are supporting the width of the strop by draping/bending it across the fingers.

Tony

I'll try to get some time to post pics of how I hold my barber style strops (my preferred strop. I don't like handles) which is straight out of one of the old barber textbooks and is similar to what you describe Alan. Then, I'd like to try what I think your method is and post pics of that so you could tell me if I'm right or not.

My analogy is that a strop without handles (barber style) is to a manual transmission vehicle like a strop with handles is to an automatic transmission vehicle. Right or wrong, that's how I think about it.

Oh, and I drive a manual transmission vehicle and prefer it.

Chris L

Chris,
I like a straight cut bottom on strops as well, the traditional way but feel that about 2 1/2" is the practical limit for holding one this way AND really keeping it flat. Beyond that I feel they need something more like caps and dees, etc... to make the width more rigid.

Thanks,
Tony

Tony,

Thanx for your description. Yes, I should have mentioned I was using (and do use every day) a very thin and skinny strop.

I think I use the same method--ish:

With my palm up, the strop end is between the little finger and ring finger leaving the the strop laying over the palm side of the ring/middle and index fingers. I then flip the index finger out from behind the strop to sit on the top with the little finger. I then press my thumb into my index finger to press it onto my middle finger under the strop.

You're right...photo needed

PuFF

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Basically you are supporting the width of the strop by draping/bending it across the fingers.

Certain fingers of which were previously out of the way of the razor. Warning! When stropping with a new grip, go slow!

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Actually if you did it right, you fingers should be out the way.

That's correct, if I did it right I wouldn't have nicked myself

Good threads should never die! I've been meaning to post pics as I promised of how I hold a "barber style" strop. Upon suggestion of Alan Davis a long time ago, my inspiration is straight out of one of the barber's manuals (thanks Alan).











I like holding these types of strops (I prefer the "barber style) this way because I can make adjustments to the surface of the strop and its flatness, keeping it flat, by pinching with my thumb and index finger and pressing my fingers on the underside of the strop toward my palm. It's hard to describe but easy to see when you hold the strop this way.

Chris L

Your welcome. Nice pics.

Originally Posted by ChrisL

Good threads should never die! I've been meaning to post pics as I promised of how I hold a "barber style" strop. Upon suggestion of Alan Davis a long time ago, my inspiration is straight out of one of the barber's manuals (thanks Alan).











I like holding these types of strops (I prefer the "barber style) this way because I can make adjustments to the surface of the strop and its flatness, keeping it flat, by pinching with my thumb and index finger and pressing my fingers on the underside of the strop toward my palm. It's hard to describe but easy to see when you hold the strop this way.

Chris L

I've been holding my strop this way for years with the exception of the pinky finger thing. What is the purpose of keeping the little finger on top of the strop? Seems awkward to me.