Thread: What Kind of Strop?

For what it's worth, I regret not getting my first strop from SRD. For the cost difference compared to other strops, it's almost pointless not to get a SRD strop.

Kyle,

Don't get me wrong! I love my SRD strops! However the 827 is a good priced workhorse as its a Big Bang for the Buck!

I'm sure that down the road a SRD strop will be in his arsenal! Well, maybe more than one er two er well I'll just say that the possibilities are there!

Originally Posted by kwlfca

For what it's worth, I regret not getting my first strop from SRD. For the cost difference compared to other strops, it's almost pointless not to get a SRD strop.

I have a 3" SRD Tan leather strop I got as part of a package deal with a razor I purchased on E-Bay. It's a great strop, a much lighter draw, so I've now got myself in the habit of stropping on the Illinois leather side, then the cerium oxide side of that strop, then finish with another 20X on the SRD strop. Why do I do this...I don't know...but it seems to work quite well for me and I always end up with a nice smooth, shave ready edge. As the saying goes YMMV....

I finally received my strop and a few extras including dovo paraffin oil for the razor, Fromm strop dressing a Parker travel DE razor and a Ogalla bay rum sample pack. I treated the strop with a light coat of the fromms after a good rubbing from my palm and let it sit for 24 hours (man that was hard) My straight definitely needed the stropping, I started with 20 passes on the linen and 40 on the Russian leather. Definite improvement and a great shave after! Hand was sore though from holding the razor. I still have to clean up after using the straight so I used the Parker DE (first time). Managed not to cut myself and only one small nick from the SE. Who needs drugs, I found a much more addictive past time!

Thanks everyone for the help!

Dan

Originally Posted by Quakefire

I finally received my strop and a few extras including dovo paraffin oil for the razor, Fromm strop dressing a Parker travel DE razor and a Ogalla bay rum sample pack. I treated the strop with a light coat of the fromms after a good rubbing from my palm and let it sit for 24 hours (man that was hard) My straight definitely needed the stropping, I started with 20 passes on the linen and 40 on the Russian leather. Definite improvement and a great shave after! Hand was sore though from holding the razor. I still have to clean up after using the straight so I used the Parker DE (first time). Managed not to cut myself and only one small nick from the SE. Who needs drugs, I found a much more addictive past time!

Thanks everyone for the help!

Dan

Yes - I did quite a lot of reading here about the Illinois strop, found out Gssixgun and many others consider it a workhorse, go-to strop and I haven't been disappointed. Had it about a month now, and it might just be me, but since setting up a solid stropping routine, I've noticed a lot of improvement in my edges.

I know strop after letting the razor air dry, then 20 on the cerium oxide linen, 40 on the leather, drop of Tuf-Glide in the pivot area, into a razor sock until next use. Then, before shaving, another 20 linen and 40 leather and the shave since have virtually been I could technically get away with a one pass shave.

I know there has been debate about the Fromm Strop conditioner, but Phil at the Classic Edge say's it's one of the few strops that initially requires a little conditioner, one application and you're done. Seems to have worked well for me, now it's just hand rubbing, but I love the draw on the Russian leather, and the hard glass like surface of the linen side even feels likes and sounds like it's improving the edge....YMMV.

Well, I'm glad y'all like yours. I picked up an 827 second-hand (as most of my strops are) and don't care for it. I like the linen side, but don't care for the rough-ish leather. I like hard slick smoooth leather, more like my vintage Russian or the SRD Latigo (which is smooth, but not not hard).

I comment here because other folks may also prefer hard slickeriness and not realize that's not what is coming when you order an 827*. But mine is used-could have been adulterated. I don't think so with zero wear showing on the linen and some minimal scuffing of the high points of the orange-peel textured leather. I put my Cerium on the backside (the slick but ridged side (that's "with ridges", not "rigid"), but I may as well load up the front as I have other leathers I prefer.

Good to have options. Hard to know what you like until you try a few or several. I only have five strops so far, still learning what i like.

This is a game of personal preferences, fer sher.

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Well, I'm glad y'all like yours. I picked up an 827 second-hand (as most of my strops are) and don't care for it. I like the linen side, but don't care for the rough-ish leather. I like hard slick smoooth leather, more like my vintage Russian or the SRD Latigo (which is smooth, but not not hard).

I comment here because other folks may also prefer hard slickeriness and not realize that's not what is coming when you order an 827*. But mine is used-could have been adulterated. I don't think so with zero wear showing on the linen and some minimal scuffing of the high points of the orange-peel textured leather. I put my Cerium on the backside (the slick but ridged side (that's "with ridges", not "rigid"), but I may as well load up the front as I have other leathers I prefer.

Good to have options. Hard to know what you like until you try a few or several. I only have five strops so far, still learning what i like.

This is a game of personal preferences, fer sher.

Hahaha...orange peel, that's a good way to describe it! That's exactly what my strops looks like, from what I've read, thats normal with these strops. And yes, the draw is defintely on the heavy side, which I like, no pressure though. I also have the 3" SRD tan leather strop, micro polishing, smooth as a skating rink, very light draw, and sometimes I'll finish on that strop after the Russian, thinking I'm "refining" the edge some more....how's that for some obsessing?

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Well, I'm glad y'all like yours. I picked up an 827 second-hand (as most of my strops are) and don't care for it. I like the linen side, but don't care for the rough-ish leather. I like hard slick smoooth leather, more like my vintage Russian or the SRD Latigo (which is smooth, but not not hard).

I comment here because other folks may also prefer hard slickeriness and not realize that's not what is coming when you order an 827*. But mine is used-could have been adulterated. I don't think so with zero wear showing on the linen and some minimal scuffing of the high points of the orange-peel textured leather. I put my Cerium on the backside (the slick but ridged side (that's "with ridges", not "rigid"), but I may as well load up the front as I have other leathers I prefer.

Good to have options. Hard to know what you like until you try a few or several. I only have five strops so far, still learning what i like.

This is a game of personal preferences, fer sher.

Actually, need to correct something here. Always get this wrong for some reason. The linen side of the #827 is very hard, like glass, it turns out it's impregnated with:



So I have applied nothing to the strop except the Fromm Conditioner on the leather side. So Wade, is the linen side on your #827 very hard, solid, there is no bending or give to it as a result of the being impregnaned with the zinc oxide?

I noticed with the 827 that the back side of the russian leather is more like a washboard (expected it to be flat) Is there any reason for this?

My understanding is that Russian leather is horse shell, a tanned membrane from the rump. I could be wrong, but that's what I remember. I have two vintage Russian Shell strops and they are my (pardon the pun) workhorses of my strops. The texture is part of the tanning process.