Do you prefer hanging or paddle strops?

About a month and a half ago I bought several new strops from Tony Miller. I bought a traditional hanging strop and a 4-sided paddle strop. I should mention at the outset that both strops were top notch in terms of quality and workmanship.

I had decided that the hanging strop would be my every day strop and i would use the paddle strop mostly to apply diamond pastes between honings. However, to my surprise I found that I much prefer the paddle to the hanging strop. I strop more efficiently with the paddle and find I'm getting better results from the paddle. Maybe it's because the paddle is so easy to use and seems more comfortable in my hands. I suppose its simply a personal preference but i wondered if anyone else had the same experience with strops.

I like a paddle if I use paste, but I much prefer the hanging strop for everyday smooth leather stropping. Much more surface area, much faster for me. I feel like I'd take 3-4 times as long with the smaller size of a paddle for everyday stropping.

Jeff

I like the hanging strops the best. With the 2 1/2 inch strop, I find I get the best and most consistent results. Lynn

I'm finding, with my limited experience thus far, that the hanging strop works better for me. I can get slightly better results with it. I do like the paddle though as well, but it seems to take me a bit longer to get the same results and I find that I have to work a little harder to achieve that same results.

I think the feel of the strop is different for everyone.

I guess I'm the odd-man out. I seem to feel the draw better with the paddle and I haven't really noticed and appreciable difference in stropping time (but that may be because I really enjoy the paddle and find it relaxing).

cheers Jim

I think it depends on how you started. I started with hanging and much prefer it to a paddle. Like lynn said more surface area and easier to work with and to me more feedback with the hanging.

I like them both. But I use them for different jobs. Hanging just before I shave and flat for CrO2 paste after honing.:cool:

I just received a hanging and a paddle from Tony. They're both made with the highest quality and craftsmanship. He now has a 3" hanging which will eliminate the x-pattern. Highly recommended purchases.

Just my two cents.

-Rob

My strops are also from Tony, the first a paddle and followed by the hanging. I think using the paddle taught me proper technique, and forced me to work slower. I still use it, but I things do go quicker with the hanging strop.

RT

My strops are from Tony too and I only use the paddle for the pastes, I prefer the hanging for general pre shave stropping as I the surface area is greater and I find it easier to use.

Hanging here also, but just slightly. I have a very soft hanging strop and love it. Tony made me a paddle strop and it is very, very wide. So I have a paddle that is wide and a hanging that is thin. With Tony's wide paddle strop stropping is like a sensual event, it feels so smooth. I prefer the hanging though for reasons I'm not sure about. I think its because with the hanging strop I get on with business quicker. Or I just prefer the experience of using a hanging strop. For me shaving with a straight is about enjoying the experience and both strops fight for the best position. I'd probably get a better shave though if I stuck with that paddle, its got enormous grip on the blade and creates great draw.

Hanging is bad :nono: , I like mine nice and firm. :D

kidding, I like hanging strops better, since I haven't tryed paddle yet...

N

Hanging for me, but I'll use the paddle for pastes or on the road. The hanging strop is just that much more copmfortable for me to use.

X

I have one of Tony's hanging strops, one of his four-sided, and a DOVO paddle strop (my first strop).

Coming from the paddle to the hanging, I like the hanging a lot better. I think it's much faster and easier than the paddle, which was narrower and required many more strokes. I admit it, I get bored standing there with my razor going back and forth on the paddle strop a gazillion times. (Okay, well, 40 times, if I don't lose count).

The box strop is just for various pastes. Which is fine, because that's what I bought it for.

Wow,
Thanks guys, you made my day.

I prefer the hanging strop for every day stropping myself but always suggest the paddle for my first time buyers. I figure a guy buying a starter set is trying to get started on a reasonable budget. He needs a regulat leather surface for stropping but in just a few weeks he may need real sharpening for his razor or just a touch up. I don't want him to have to go buy more equipment just a short time in. The paddle strop gives him everything he needs right out of the gate, even more so if he buys it pre-pasted. He can strop before each shave AND he can touch up his razor with his inital investment. The harder paddle makes stropping more foolproof as well and he has a tool he can keep and use no matter what he chooses in the future.

For my own use the hanging strop is the daily winner with a paddle for touch ups along with the Belgian yellow Coticule. I do have a Norton for bigger jobs and a dozen or so barber hones.

Tony

i opt for the hanging stropp. It is traditional, effecient, does the job well and is hanging there waiting for me.