Thread: Strops

I use Keith's "Flatbed Leather Honing System" from Hand American. It's the 3"x15" with various leather pads. I like the flexibility this system offers. I think it also is an asset for those new to stropping for a couple of reasons:

• You don't have to think about proper strop tension
• You don't have to worry about the leather cupping
• If you hack up the leather, it's easily replaced
• It provides a large stable form-factor allowing the new straight user to focus on stropping form.
• Less money than most quality hanging strops.

I must admit this is the only strop I've used, but it's been a great value for the money.

I've never really gotten into paddle strops. I have one for traveling but otherwise I use the leather. My favorites are a DD Horse and a red Imp leather. I have several others, a vintage horse leather from page and a seal from salt lake City barber Supply. I also have one of Tony's #1 strops which is an excellent strop probably the only modern strop that holds a candle to the vintage ones.

I only have the 24x2" Dovo w. linen. Works great and not having anything to compare it to the 2" width is fine too. I kind of like having to work extra with the X passes.

I did nick it in a few places but luckily in the top 1.5" and not too bad to affect its operation. Guess it is all part of the learning process.

Planning to pick up a 4 sided paddle strop from Tony, so that I could try using the pastes to get the edge finer.

I've used the largest of the illinois hanging stops with linen and my current dovo best russian with linen. The leather on the dovo is much smoother, and at some point or another, my illinois one warped while my dovo stayed flat. I liked the dovo best, both cause it aparently lasted longer than the illinois and because the leather is so supple. Very nice strop, but granted I have fairly limited experience.

There is a lot to be said for supple. My first few strops were Illinois brands, a #206 and then a #361 (then all the others too). The #361 is quite stiff and I liked that. recently I have been using my more supple ones (#3 and #2) and am liking them a bit more than my stiffer #1 strops.

Tony

I have a tony #1 and a 4 sided paddle strop on its way to me at the moment. My current strop is an unnamed one that I found in a second hand shop but it seems to work ok.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

There is a lot to be said for supple. My first few strops were Illinois brands, a #206 and then a #361 (then all the others too). The #361 is quite stiff and I liked that. recently I have been using my more supple ones (#3 and #2) and am liking them a bit more than my stiffer #1 strops.

Tony

Folks I can completely vouch for Tony's No. 1 strop. I have several strops, and it is one of my favorites, rapidly gaining on the Jemico russian leather one I previously preferred.
Tony, of the #3 and #2 which of them do you prefer?
If they beat that No.1, I definitely will be looking at yet another strop....
John P

John,
The #2 is simply a thinner version of the #1. Same oil treated leather that basically has the strop dressing impregnated into it. Some folks prefer a supple strop so therefore two different thicknesses.
The #3 is a natural vegetable tanned leather with a harder, slicker surface. If has a fine finish to it and the more you dress it the more "draw" it will have. I have used both my strop dressing and Neat's Foot Oil on them.
The #3 is being replaced by a black version with a nice feel. The black is compressed and makes a nicer strop. The surface is not quite as slick as Hand American leather but getting there. It will comes with a softer linen too (while the supply lasts).
I have a few of each I make on eBay right now. I am going to re-designate them as many people assumed the numbers meant differeing qualities, not different models. Now I know why Ilinois used big numbers to designat their strops, no thinking a #1 is better than a #2, etc....

Favorites? Hard to say. I use one of each in my rotation and all have some nice features. I tend to use the smoother, harder ones on razors that keep their edge better and the softer ones with more draw on those that dull more easily. Kind of like having a regular strop and a finish strop.
Tony