Thread: eBay Strop

Hey everyone!
Still looking around for info. I found an ebay strop fairly cheeply and was wondering if there was a catch.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-17-Inch-L...QQcmdZViewItem

Originally Posted by drsch3

Hey everyone!
Still looking around for info. I found an ebay strop fairly cheeply and was wondering if there was a catch.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-17-Inch-L...QQcmdZViewItem

I would be a little hesitant about a $20.00 stop that includes a free razor, especially one from Australia. Cattle is much more expensive to raise in AU due to the poor soil quality, and I would think the hides would be worth more. That leads me to believe this is pretty crappy quality leather. However, I have heard of people stropping on old belts, so I would wait to hear from some of the experienced people here before you make up your mind.

Just from a glance at the picture, I would worry. I can't tell for sure, but the handle looks very thin, I can't tell how smooth the leather is, and the hardware looks of dubious quality.

I would stay away.

The only catch is that you probably get what you paid for it and in this case probably not even that.

The strop for which you posted a link looks very warped in the photo and has some dark line(s) which could be creases in the leather (not a good sign). If you look at the handle it looks roughed up and warped (like it was a chewing toy for some pet).

Now if it was a used strop I would think that the dammage is an indication of improper use/storage but for a new strop this kind of evidence is a sure sign of poor quality.

If you want or can only spend $20 or less for a strop you would be much better off buying a thick, smooth leather belt and using that. At least you get to feel and see what you are buying. A strop is leather and a smooth belt will work fine. Also for much less than $20.

You can also order leather from www.HandAmerican.com, Keith De'Grau is a great guy, and will cut the 1 sq. ft. leather into any length/width combinations at no extra charge. The cost is $12-$15 depending on your choice of thickness and finish.

Add your own swivel and handle or just shape the leather into a handle. That way for $15 or less you get 2 x 3"x24" strips of strop quality leather. If you mess up one you still have the other and they are 3" wide, not 2" or 2.5". You can also ask for any width/length.

You can also contact Tony Miller and ask him for his seconds (I think that is what he calls them). These are strops that are just as good as his usual product except they don't meet his visual quality standards. The leather and stropping will be identical but you will pay a lot less, last I saw he was giving them away for under $10. The catch is he does not always have these, but it won't hurt to ask.

I do still have some seconds available, leather only and without linen or hardware. I put a grommet in the top and you can hang it from a cord of thong. These are 24" x 2 1/2" with a few surface dents but very usable. Contact me directly on these.

I saw the strops you mentioned on eBay. Take a look at the length, 17" from snap to end of handle. The handle is 5" long, the snap is 2" long. That leavse you with a 10" stropping surface.

Pretty much any leather will get the job done, belts included. Some leathers do a nicer job than other as each has certain traits that make them work differently. What you typically pay for it the type of leather, $8 to $16 a square foot for the hide, less the waste factor (up to 50% is unusable for strops) which can double the square foot cost, the cost of the linen, hardware and the labor to put it together neatly. If buying a European made strop factor in some import costs too. Good ones from Heirloom, Dovo or Jemico are not cheap but if cared for well will last you forever.

Tony Miller

Drsch,

I highly suggest you go with one of Tony's "seconds" if cost is a major factor. I assure you that his strops (and you can verify this with most everyone else on this site), will be a better value than anything else you can buy for the price.

It never fails to amaze me how many responses are received to questions raised in this forum.
I pretty much got the answer I was expecting but not wanting. I've heard of people on the site using newspaper to strop with so I thought there might be a slight chance that everyone said 'Na, as long as it's made of leather it's ok'.
TONY
I'm just starting out with this and am slowly building up what I need (I think). If I was to get a 'second' strop from you, would I then need to get another with a canvas strop as well? I looked on the wellshavedgentleman and there were only 3 hanging strops for sale. Do you have larger range with other options?
JLStorm
I'm actually from Australia and I don't think we have poor soil. By the way Australia exported 319,751 tones of beef to the US during 2005. The ebay item is actually coming from Alexandria, Louisiana United States so it may be poor quality due to poor farming techniques in Louisiana. Please don't be offended by this... I'm merely as patriotic as you are.

Guys, I am surprised that in this day and age of globalization you are discussing country of origin based on location of the seller.

If it is cheap and low quality it could be from anywhere, but I seriously doubt it comes from high labour cost countries like US or Australia. Someone making cheap, low quality goods will most likely shop in Asia where the goods can be had much cheaper.

As far as quality from any one country in general I don't think you can make a blanket statement without being wrong. I am sure that you can get crap made in Australia and the US and Canada and UK and France (if I left your country of origin please just add it to the list) just like you can get good quality made in China.

Decades ago Japanese cars were cheap throw-away rust magnets made for those that could not afford American made quality. Today, .... 'nuf said.

Vlad,

With you 100%. Crap is crap wherever it comes from, and it can come from anywhere.

Originally Posted by drsch3

If I was to get a 'second' strop from you, would I then need to get another with a canvas strop as well? I looked on the wellshavedgentleman and there were only 3 hanging strops for sale. Do you have larger range with other options?

Tony can even custom make what you want if he has the time. The leather is all yo really NEED. The linen helps as a pre strop or a sharpener if you use chalk or some paste on it, but paddles are better for that. That said, I use linen every time myself and do appreciate it.

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