Thread: Straight Razor Design's (SRD) 3" Roo Strop

Ok so I have had the Straight Razor Design's (SRD) 3" Roo Strop for a while now, and figure I would write a little review but note... as the statement above my avatar so clearly points out, "I still know nothing."



(Photo stolen from SRD - for obvious reasons once you see the photos of mine in he wild lol)


I am not going to lie. The first thing that drew me to this strop is it's incredible aesthetics. I mean look at the thing! Two tone leathers, great hardware, a beautiful logo placement and stamp... and those handles! All perfectly cut and symmetric. If one were to buy it simply to have it hang for looks, I could see it! Unfortunately, that's exactly what mine did for some time...


(logo)


When first handling the strop, the incredible thinness of the strop or Roo leather was off putting to me. Moreover, I found the draw rather course and "pulling." I had never owned a 3" before this, and the added width along with a strop that was so thin and pulling had me worried. Rightfully so as I have gone through more strops than I care to admit. Add that I shave with 4/8's, this behemoth just seemed unwieldy as it dwarfed my razors!! So it sat there hanging on my wall looking great... but nothing more for quite some time... I mean I used it from time to time, but not enough to truly understand it.


(the Roo "eating" my little 4/8 Dovo)


Anyway as you can see in the photo's (even my lousy photo's), this strop is beautiful. Hence, I didn't mind that it was just sitting on my wall looking good. I put diamond paste on the canvas side and simply used it for that application for some time. And then one day I just got a little flustered one day having such a beautiful strop hanging and it not being used - that and truth be told, I nicked my other strop and couldn't be bothered sanding it down a bit. So I vowed come what may... I was going to use the leather exclusively.

How do I like it now that I am using it exclusively?

Well let me tell you. Like I said, I have had a few strops before this one and yes, this strop doesn't feel like any of them. The draw is course I find, but once you get used to the draw... you can almost feel it whipping the blade into shape and creating a heat of sorts allowing the blade to be more malleable to correction.

I am sure that's all BS, but it sure feels that way and once you get to understanding or accepting the feel, the strop is simply awesome. It's a very tactile experience. But more importantly, I think it actually does the job of stopping more effectively, and hence in less time than any of my other strops! I don't know if that's 100% true as I enjoy using it so much that I do my full regiment almost religiously.

Moreover, it didn't take long to become used to working a wider strop either. It actually came naturally. It almost feels like cheating !

The SRD Roo strop may not be the cheapest strop out there but for what you get not only in looks,but what I'll call effectiveness, it's under priced. I am truly enjoying this strop now and wish I had been more honest with it from the beginning!

Stropping is fun !

Very good job David. You covered the draw of this strop as well as the 3 inch witdth in a very meaningful manner. Thank you!

I just recently got one of these and it is wonderful. The razor just slide down the strop like there is no resistance at all

Originally Posted by sinnfein

I just recently got one of these and it is wonderful. The razor just slide down the strop like there is no resistance at all

That's interesting sinnfein! If I don't apply any pressure it slides sure (I guess every strop would feel that way sans pressure), but as soon as I apply any kind of pressure on my Roo, I begin to note that draw and heat I described in my little review. Heck! It's the only strop I don't feel I need to heat up with my palm before actually stropping because it seemingly warms up fast enough on its own. Maybe cuz its so thin?

I have other strops that feel very much like your description of the Roo, but to me, the Roo definitely produces resistance! And I love that resistance now lol! Not sure I'll ever enjoy a strop that merely "slides" ever again.

Anyway - as my wife and I always say, "its all about the definition." In short; maybe our previous experiences before owning our Roo's are so different as to describe our experiences with the Roo would necessarily mean we see the draw differently lol.

Glad you enjoy yours as well!!

Weird, mine feels like the razor is going to slip out of my hand, but not quite as slick as the premium I. I also feel like it takes more stropping to bring the edge in where I want it. I rate it between less draw than the bridal and more than the premium I...just me.

Once I started using Roo I never went back. I cannot remember how long ago that was now (2008?) but I can say that despite the thinness of kangaroo leather it is hardy stuff if you take care of it. And in the end the thinness becomes just a part of the stropping experience - in fact, now when I strop with a thicker leather like cow it feels strange and wrong!

Excellent review, thanks for posting it!

James.

Originally Posted by earcutter

Ok so I have had the Straight Razor Design's (SRD) 3" Roo Strop for a while now, and figure I would write a little review but note... as the statement above my avatar so clearly points out, "I still know nothing."



(Photo stolen from SRD - for obvious reasons once you see the photos of mine in he wild lol)


I am not going to lie. The first thing that drew me to this strop is it's incredible aesthetics. I mean look at the thing! Two tone leathers, great hardware, a beautiful logo placement and stamp... and those handles! All perfectly cut and symmetric. If one were to buy it simply to have it hang for looks, I could see it! Unfortunately, that's exactly what mine did for some time...


(logo)


When first handling the strop, the incredible thinness of the strop or Roo leather was off putting to me. Moreover, I found the draw rather course and "pulling." I had never owned a 3" before this, and the added width along with a strop that was so thin and pulling had me worried. Rightfully so as I have gone through more strops than I care to admit. Add that I shave with 4/8's, this behemoth just seemed unwieldy as it dwarfed my razors!! So it sat there hanging on my wall looking great... but nothing more for quite some time... I mean I used it from time to time, but not enough to truly understand it.


(the Roo "eating" my little 4/8 Dovo)


Anyway as you can see in the photo's (even my lousy photo's), this strop is beautiful. Hence, I didn't mind that it was just sitting on my wall looking good. I put diamond paste on the canvas side and simply used it for that application for some time. And then one day I just got a little flustered one day having such a beautiful strop hanging and it not being used - that and truth be told, I nicked my other strop and couldn't be bothered sanding it down a bit. So I vowed come what may... I was going to use the leather exclusively.

How do I like it now that I am using it exclusively?

Well let me tell you. Like I said, I have had a few strops before this one and yes, this strop doesn't feel like any of them. The draw is course I find, but once you get used to the draw... you can almost feel it whipping the blade into shape and creating a heat of sorts allowing the blade to be more malleable to correction.

I am sure that's all BS, but it sure feels that way and once you get to understanding or accepting the feel, the strop is simply awesome. It's a very tactile experience. But more importantly, I think it actually does the job of stopping more effectively, and hence in less time than any of my other strops! I don't know if that's 100% true as I enjoy using it so much that I do my full regiment almost religiously.

Moreover, it didn't take long to become used to working a wider strop either. It actually came naturally. It almost feels like cheating !

The SRD Roo strop may not be the cheapest strop out there but for what you get not only in looks,but what I'll call effectiveness, it's under priced. I am truly enjoying this strop now and wish I had been more honest with it from the beginning!

Stropping is fun !

I bought an SRD Roo strop about a year ago after watching Jimbo's demonstration video and quickly hid it out of sight in keeping with my Strop Protection Plan. Like you, I'm a destructive little stropper and I'm determined to "get my act together" with a Star Shaving Big Daddy before trusting myself with the Roo.

Your review is very encouraging to me and it is confirmation that it has the qualities I want from a strop. I'm anxious to try it.

[QUOTE=CaliforniaCajun;1190788]

I'm a destructive little stropper

That line there cracks me up for some reason!

Great review, thanks. I have a Roo Strop from Mic that I rarely use. I guess it is time to break it out.

I also just bought one thinking I could use it with my big mama strop tackle (that's what im calling the d ring and swivel / clasp) but I noticed now that im home that my big mama has two pins on each side and the roo has 3. Any body got any suggestions? I just bought the leather replacement piece hoping to save money. But I Dino what to do now I don't have any other tackle to make the new strop work. And to best it all I just got laid off last week so now I can't really afford any more tackle. Please help guys... Needing some ideas.... Damn me and my cheap ways... Any thoughts would greatly be appreciated.