Thread: Strops

Guys, I own about a dozen or so strops. I have a Dovo, Llama, Pigskin,
Scotch Lady, Maestro 2 sided strop, another 2 sided strop, a four
sided strop, a Hand American hanging and a few plated leather ones. I
have always liked both the leather and the linen of the Dovo strops,
but have seen a lot of new guys tear them up because they are so
supple. I really like the old Llama which is a Hanover product with a
thick real linen as well. At the end of the day, I get kind of stuck
between the hanging strop and the two sided. One thing I particulary
like in a strop is at least a width of 2 1/2 inches. What are you guys
using? Like? Dislike?

Thanks.

Lynn

I use a hanging Dovo and 4 sided Tony Miller. I switch around too, but I mostly keep the paddle at my workbench. The Dovo was my first strop and it has some war-wounds from the first week or so. If I only knew then......

I have one DOVO best russian, and one handmade strop from miliraty leather belt. The leather on that one is thicker than a DOVO's, and treated with DOVO yellow paste, is developing nice suction. On My DOVO strop I dislike the uneaven surface. One Q: Is the linnen supposed to... well, suck? I mean that sticky feeling you get on the leather?

Nenad

I use the 361 mostly with the linen and I do use both regularly. I've got a two sided paddle as well, but haven't been able to get it to perform as well as the 361. That day will come.

X

Both of my strops came from Tony, a 4 sided paddle and a hanging #2 strop. Both seem to be doing an excellent job!

RT

I have a Tony 2-sider, a Jemico Russian hanger, and a Dovo two-sider. I like em all, but the Jemico gets daily use. Wish it was a tad wider so I don't have to X on it to get the toe. Other than that, it's perfect. Beautiful work and the leather has aged and broken in well over the years, it's dark and shiny now, and keeps good drag on the blade.....Jeff

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.