Thread: ok to roll up hanging strop for travel?

Hi folks,

I don't travel too much, but when I do, I still like to take my str8 shaving gear. I only own hanging strops, so I've been packing an old Illinois when I travel. It's a pain to pack it -- trying to keep it flat and not incur any damage. So I was thinking of getting a piece of HA leather for making a travel strop I could roll up.
Will rolling it up cause problems in the leather such as stretching and then getting wrinkles when I unroll it? I was thinking of using a short piece of relatively thin leather and rolling to about the diameter of a shaving bowl. Anybody else roll their strops? Or should I just spend the money and get a paddle strop?

Learn from my mistakes and roll it up loosely with the leather side out.

I haven't tried this, but if you're using a hard-shell suitcase or something you might be able to wrap the strap around the inside of the suitcase's shell. It would follow the contours of the case, if that makes sense. It would be somewhat bent, but I think some bending would be just fine.

Rolling should also be OK, I would think. Putting the leather side out as Firestart suggests would prevent wrinkling.

Good luck,
Josh

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

"...roll it up loosely with the leather side out."

I'll second this recommendation

I sell Illinois Razor Strop Co (Fromm) strops, and they ship the strops to me loose rolled. If it weren't ok I doubt they'd ship them that way. I was initially surpised as I expected them to be shipped flat. I also roll them when shipping.


Scott

Be very careful not to roll too tightly. I will ship some strops with a slight roll to them depending on leather type and thickness. I use a 12" wide box and they make a single, gentle bend across the entire width. I would not go any tighter than this.

I just got a new black latigo strop back today to exchange for a different width. It was put into a paper bag Priority mailer and was neatly folded in the middle, maybe a 1" radius. Though not creased it will never be the same and is now un-sellable. It stretched the leather enough that it hangs with a bend.

I really do not suggest rolling any good strops.

Tony

I have to agree with Tony, I would never roll or bend a leather strop. You might get away with it for a short period of time if its loosely rolled but what if the soft luggage gets on the bottom of about 1000lbs of other luggage? The best bet is get a paddle strop for travel. Thats what I do and leave the leather at home.