Thread: Angle to use a strop

I just purchased my first straight razor and strop online, oh yeah. I'm looking in my bathroom to see where I can attach the strop. I only place I can see is on a hook at the top of the bathroom door. I would have to strop it from North to South because i'm not 7 feet tall. I would have it so it's completely flat when I use it. Just making sure that's okay to do.

Thanks!

The angle at which you hang your strop is merely a personal choice.It will not affect how the stropping works.If you do hang it off the door it wont take up valuable razor space.

Well, when I first started I had my strop hung at about head height, being in a similar situation as yourself. It didn't work too well. If you think about the motions you make to strop, your arm is going to be in some pretty awkward positions if the strop is too high. Not only is it going to strain your arm, but you'll also have trouble keeping the razor flat and even on the strop. I would recommend you try getting a cord or leather thong and hanging the strop from a nice solid doorknob.

Or, if your curtains have the kind of sash-hook that we have, I've found that's a good height for me.

I find that it is eaiser to strop when the strop is attached to something that is door nob height.

Also I have heard that the bathroom is not the best place to store your strop due to the excessive humidity. I strop in my bedroom and then shave in the bathroom. Just a preference...

I fashioned a loop from an old wire coat hanger and attached it to the middle hinge on my bathroom door to which I hook my strop. perfect height for me.

Those are good suggestions hanging it from a door knob.

Waist high or just a little more, like you would see at a barbers chair. Too high or low and it is a chore to the arms and is more likely to harm the strop and/or blade.

There are individual preferences in usage regarding the angle of the strop. But given your description I think going "North to South" is a recipe for a mangled strop. It's hard enough learning proper strop technique as it is. I'd try to bring the strop angle down to waist level or a little above. One of those big plastic zip ties is another method to attach the strop to a door knob. Go to your local hardware store and see if you can get something to screw into a stud in the wall, to attach your strop. That's what I'd do.

I have mine hanging from an eye screw that i installed into the stud on the wall by my sink just above waist hieght, comfortable arm postition for me.

I use a "Large Single Robe Hook" from Home Depot. It is brass and comes in
different finishes. The package has a #72 in a blue square with 874 849 above. I mounted it to dry wall using screw in 70 lb reinforcements and the supplied brass screws. The hook is like a strop hook but with a bulb end so I use a small key ring for the swivel snap to hook to. I was attaching to a
towel ring but it was starting to bend.