Strop width recommendation

I've seen so many negative things about felt as a secondary that I'm not including the "Big Daddy" strop on my list. Maybe later once I have some baseline for comparison though.

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Originally Posted by athair

The way this works in my family is I put together a list and I will get something off it. If I just ask for one thing I MAY get it but I may not. So I'm going to be getting maybe three 3" strops (with links to specific strops) on a list. I was thinking an SRD, an american mountain, and whipped dog rich man.

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My family does things pretty much the same. If you give them 3 different choices,without preference, you will end up with the cheapest one,not necessarily the best one. I suggest you use just one line.......SRD Gift Certificate. I would rather have a little help getting the best gear, than to get something less than top shelf.

I find I like a 2 1/2" width, the X pattern needed is really not noticed to me during stropping.
It seems to me the natural motion covers it?

For me, I definitely like the full three inches.

I've used strops of 2", 2.5" and 3" widths, and just being able to do straight up and down strokes makes a big difference to the effectiveness of my technique - so much so that when I stropped a newly-acquired Filarmonica with a 3.25" long blade and had to do slight x-strokes, it felt weird and I was much slower (not that speed really matters, but when I'm doing 50 or 60 strokes I don't want to be all day at it).

And the only width strop* I've never nicked is a 3" (now that I've said that, just watch me go and slice up a nice piece of 3" latigo ;) )

(*out of those I've used - I've also never nicked a 4" one, or a 1.5" one, etc)

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

To make the assumption the a 3" strop now allows the razor to go straight up and down the strop would be a mistake, to make the assumption that a 3" strop allows you more versatility in which pattern to use would be correct...

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Thank you Glen, this can't be stated enough.

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

To make the assumption the a 3" strop now allows the razor to go straight up and down the strop would be a mistake, to make the assumption that a 3" strop allows you more versatility in which pattern to use would be correct...

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

Thank you Glen, this can't be stated enough.

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My main issue right now is that the strop I'm using is only 2" wide and only has about 8" of usable length, so it's not a natural motion at all for me to strop the whole length of the blade. And so I feel much more like swinging to the far side and going with a 3" just because that "feels" less restrictive.

I'd say it's the 8" length that's the real problem here. You have to get a rhythm with stropping and it also needs a certain pace to be effective. The length of your strop is just not enough to allow this.

I can see that, but I think the cramped feeling I now have associated with stropping is still going to push me into a 3" strop just because it'll feel lest restricting.

If you want to ask for a 3" that eliminates any "curling" variables go for the paddle strop from SRD. 3" of smooth leather on one side and 3" of rough leather on the other. I have one and it is my favorite.

2.5 inch,thats the optimal width IMO