Thread: Stroptober is here and I need to replace my only strop

Hi all,

What's the best strop and secondary component a man can get for $50 or less. I had a bad first experience and had gotten a 3" defective strop.

I'm not so concerned whether its a 3". I think I should be fine with a 2-1/2" and learning the X pattern.

I'm going to have to say that I'll show special preference for an SRP vendor this time.

I think any strop from a good SRP vendor (look around, you'll quickly find out who they are) would be fine. As far as a "secondary component" goes, I'm not exactly sure what you mean unless you are referring to linen/canvas/etc. My personal take on that is that I have never used anything except leather when I strop and I have never had a reason to question that choice.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

...unless you are referring to linen/canvas/etc...

Yes. That's what I'm referring to.

You'll see all kinds of opinions on secondary components. Some have no use for them and some love em. There are no definitive studies on the subject. Personally I use them but i couldn't say it makes a difference you can feel.

If you can get some old fashioned linen,or some knobby silk those are at the top of the heap. Otherwise there's all kinds of materials from denim and nylon webbing to...well you can use your imagination and make you're own.

My 2 cents.... I have the old school fire house looking linen. I use it. It gets dirty. This keeps that dirt off my horse hide.
That's all I have to say about that. :<0)

I have felt, cotton flax webbing, Sr premium linen and canvas. Would go for linen or cotton flax style. Leathers so far favs are English bridle or roo.

Illinios strop (also seen as Fromm strops same company) just about all there strops are under 50 usd. i like the imperial russian one but the horsehide is good to and the linen component that comes with all there strops is great. Many vendors sell them and can be found on amazon.

I've always used the rough leather pad that came with my SRD modular paddle.Seems to work just fine for cleaning the edge after a shave and before to realign the edge then polish on smooth leather.

+1 on what 10Pups said. I feel that the "prep" strop cleans that unavoidable tiny bit of corrosion from the bevel & I'd rather have it there than on the leather. I use genuine linen but prefer the linen-finish canvas from an Illinois 127 as a post shave strop. I doubt that there's any measurable difference in the results obtained from any of the materials commonly used though.

I second the recommendation given by Castel for the Illinois strops - they are not fancy but they do the job and last a long time - I have one that is over 30 years old and is still usable. Better still, they are in your price range.

rs,
Tack

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

...or some knobby silk those are at the top of the heap...

Now that's interesting - I'm trying to decide on a secondary material for a strop I'm just making, and I've never heard of people using silk. I can get the "knobby" stuff from Thailand, so is it really thought of as that good?