Thread: Anyone using current production Illinois strops?

I am currently using a #361 professional style model. It was a factory defect from when I was still selling Illinois strops on eBay. (I decided to use this one as a challenge to myself to prove that even a somewhat damaged strop could still be perfectly usable. I knew that if had I sold this particular strop to anyone, that they would most likely have complained. But anyways...)

I have used IRS Co strops for many years, mostly the #827 Russia, and now the #361. I have come to the conclusion that, at least based on the one's I have used, that all IRS strops need extra "breaking in" work before they will give good stropping results.

I began using the #361 "as is" with just a bit of strop dressing to begin. I found that it just didn't work as well as it does now, after a more aggressive breaking-in treatment. Just to be sure, I gave the strop a good 4-5 months of daily use "as is." There was an immediate improvement in stropping once the aggressive break-in treatment was applied. In fact, once properly prepared, IRS strops are excellent.

So, as usual, YMMV, but any of you who are using, or have used an IRS strop, and aren't quite happy with it's performance, may benefit from my observations above.

One other thing, I think that the canvas that comes with the current IRS strops are crap (I think that is the technical term for it). I have experimented with ways of improving them, including coating with urethane and sanding which seemed to help quite a bit. My usual solution is to find a vintage linen hose strop, treated with wax as they usually were, and replace the IRS "Barbers Best." I realize that this may not be practical for everyone since the number of good vintage strops available is extremely limited.

I have described how I break in a strop at least a couple of times here on SRP, so I'm not going to repeat myself again here. But if anyone has an interest and can't find those posts, I'll go over the process again.



Scott