Thread: help!! strop question

ok, so i just picked up my first strop i have a buddy the works with leather so he made me one, and he did a really good job on it except that he has sewn webbing material to the back of the leather, he has used a straight razor before and he says it wont affect the razor, but you can feel 'only slightly' the threads on each side of the strop. my first razors in the mail and im nervous about using this strop. what do yall think?

Well in theory it should work,on the webbed side.On the leather side that would depend on if the stitching made the leather bulge creating bumps in the stropping surface.If the surface is not even and smooth I would hesitate to use it.

I'm not going to say it will damage the razor...but I don't think it will be good for the edge either. I'm sure you have seen many pics of strops and I have to say that none that I have had my mitts on have had stitching on the stropping surface...just the ends where you don't strop.

thats what i was afraid of oh well ill just have to get him to cut me a plain piece of leather for it. thanks for the info guys

I would think if the leather was surfaced/finished after being sewn and the thread was below the surface of the leather it should have no negative impact at all.
The reason the X-Stroke is promoted is to make sure the entire edge of the razor makes adequate contact with the median.
I have seen strops with enough blemishes to make you cringe but they still work more than adequately.

I would have to see and feel it to tell you if I would put one of my blades on it.