Thread: Strop quality?

I'll try to make this brief. Could a poor quality strop do more damage than good? I have serious doubts about the quality of the strop I purchased. It has two straps one being a thick and very hard leather practically like a piece of varnished wood. When stroping I feel little to no draw at all. The razor seems to just slip across the surface and doesn't seem to be making full contact. The other is a softer leather which seems to have a bit more draw to it however it's not even pure leather, it's more like leather adhered to a material backing, and no it's definitely not canvas backing.
I purchased it off ebay and paid very little for it,yeah I know big mistake, but since it was my first I figured it would do to get me through the learning period. It wasn't a matter of being cheap I just didn't want to ruin a quality strop with the usual rookie mistakes. At this point though I'd rather pluck down a few bucks if it means I won't be ruining my freshly honed razor. I'd hate to be damaging it as it's the only razor I have until my other one gets honed. I can post pictures if it helps.

Originally Posted by bottomfeeder

I'll try to make this brief. Could a poor quality strop do more damage than good? Brief answer ~ Yes.
I have serious doubts about the quality of the strop I purchased. It has two straps one being a thick and very hard leather practically like a piece of varnished wood. When stroping I feel little to no draw at all. Not necessarily the problem. Hard thick strops with little draw are preferred by some. It does however need to be flat & free of irregularities in the surface.
The razor seems to just slip across the surface and doesn't seem to be making full contact. Contact is your responsibility providing the strop is reasonably flat
The other is a softer leather which seems to have a bit more draw to it however it's not even pure leather, it's more like leather adhered to a material backing, and no it's definitely not canvas backing.
I purchased it off ebay and paid very little for it,yeah I know big mistake, but since it was my first I figured it would do to get me through the learning period. It wasn't a matter of being cheap I just didn't want to ruin a quality strop with the usual rookie mistakes. At this point though I'd rather pluck down a few bucks if it means I won't be ruining my freshly honed razor. I'd hate to be damaging it as it's the only razor I have until my other one gets honed. I can post pictures if it helps.

Strops are not a thing to skimp on as they are virtually a lifetime investment but if you're worried of damaging one, practice on something sacrificial first like a sheet of newspaper cut to shape. It would be less damaging to your razor too.

As long as there are no defects to wreck the edge you
should be OK..

i.e. Some folk strop on wood, newspaper, leather glued to wood
all sort of things.

Apply a very thin bit of strop dressing and just
strop smoothly and deliberately. If it feels stiff
just strop as if it was leather glued to oak.

Rather than risk damage to a good razor consider running
a bit of clean bar stock over the surface let the strop sag
a little so it flexes. That might soften it. An old worn file
might even help reduce the varnish feel and begin to make it feel smoother.
Some folk go so far as to sand their leather strops.

One budget solution is a balsa wood strop. Find a clean 2.5 to 3 inch wide
bit of balsa and matching plywood at a hobby or craft shop and glue the two
together. 25 inches long is easy to find. Balsa is often too fragile all by itself.
Balsa can be lightly oiled, given a light application of strop dressing or dusted
with green chrome oxide (CrOx) and sprayed with WD-40 or pasted with CrOx
paste or crayon or even diamond spray or paste.

The same balsa strop (stick) can be wrapped with newsprint for stropping.

(edit) onimaru55 is correct. A strop is not something to skimp on
it will be used each day. It does not need to be expensive....

When you want to check on what your strop is doing, take a look under the microscope or loup if you have one. You should see a very crisp straight edge with no sparklies. So take a look at the edge before stropping and then after stropping to see how your doing. You don't need anything high powered for this. Another test is to try a test shave before and after stropping to check on how effective your strop and stropping are.

Have fun.

Well I think I'll air on the side of caution on this one and just purchase one of the SRD strops like I should have in the first place. Coincidentally anyone in need of a barely used strop?

Originally Posted by bottomfeeder

Well I think I'll air on the side of caution on this one and just purchase one of the SRD strops like I should have in the first place. Coincidentally anyone in need of a barely used strop?

The SRD strops where replacement leather or canvas can be had
is a bargain. If you cannot decide canvas or felt get both and after
a month swap them... after a couple months you will have a favorite.

There's nothing like the lovin' of a good strop. Except perhaps the use of a good strop during lovin'!

James.

way back i bought one of those strops you got off ebay.... there is a simple yet effective way to make it strop like a pro.....

first this must be done over your trash can.... open can and ensure strop is directly over it.... drop strop in..... close can......


there are several low cost options ... starshaving whippeddog SRD etc.....

life is too short to use a cheap strop....

Originally Posted by Jimbo

There's nothing like the lovin' of a good strop. Except perhaps the use of a good strop during lovin'!

James.

James - bad boy!

Originally Posted by paco664

...

life is too short to use a cheap strop....

I agree. Cheap as in quality, although quality does come at a certain price. There are some very nice workman-like strops out there that are inexpensive.

James.