Handle or No Handle

Gentlemen,

The past few years, I have drifted away from strops with handles or D rings opting for plain ends. I don't exactly know why except I find find them more comfortable in my hands as well as versatile.

Also, traditionally strops came with plain ends and I like tradition. Not only that, but I prefer shorter strops since I only use about 7 to 8 inches of stropping length, and strops with handles or D rings make the strop too long for me.

Unfortunately, most strops come with some type of handle. My Kanayama/Kanoyama and Torolf strops are without handles and that's why, aside from their overall quality, I am so fond of them. For the other strops — Neil Miller, Tony Miller, Bison and Mountain Mike — I now grip just at the line the handle and the stropping surface meet, ignoring the handle or the D rings altogether. Eventually, I plan to remove the handles on these strops, too, to make myself the best of all worlds.

Gentlemen, what do you prefer, handles, D rings or plain ends?

Straight barber style strops for me. Even though some of mine have handles I've never used them (the handles not the strops) and hold them by the leather.

I've come to like the single D ring at the bottom, but I also like a Barber style.

To me, the single D is easier however, as when I flip from linen to leather, no sdjustment is necessary. When I flip a Barber style, after the flip I must "iron out" both components flat to each other before continuing to strop. But, it's no big deal really.

Do Not like handles or D rings but I do like a grip of sorts,Made of natural materials:)
Attachment 163844

I found it very awkward to use my Neil Miller and Kanayama at first as they do not have handles or d-rings.
However like anything else, I'm getting more used to it the more I use them.
I still can't deny that something to have as a backstop like pixel shows wouldn't be nice.

I prefer a double thickness handle. I use plain shell strops everyday but have thought about attaching handles more than once.

Dave

I've used all three, D ring, handle, and classic square end. I don't favor one over any of the others. I can use them all, and like them all.

I like handles & loom strops.

I've used the three types of hanging strops and found them all comfortable to use. I prefer the simplicity of the plain, square-ended strops. My only strop is an Illinois model 361; I haven't ever felt the need to get any others.

I have both and have to say that the finish on the end doesn't woo me anywhere near as much as the face of the strop. Beyond the feedback and draw it dent matter to me.

A novice's two cents. I only have one strop (first and only one I ever bought), and it has D rings. So far I like the D rings because I can easily hold/hang the strop with the middle/tip of only one or two fingers which limits how thigh I keep the strop and helps absorb pressure if I put too much on the blade.

Horses for courses, I think! I make them with cut ends, tabs on the cut ends, d-rings at both ends, solid leather handles and stuffed leather handles. As I 'test drive' each model/leather for a substantial time before marketing I have used all types - they all work particularly well for me. The only type I do not like is when a bar on a d-ring or handle-connector falls well short of the width of the strop, which leaves the edges a bit prone to do whatever they feel like. Otherwise they all work equally well. It seems that the vast majority of people who order from me prefer stuffed leather handles, followed by d-rings at both ends, though.

Regards,
Neil

I have all kinds and though the handles are more convenient in the end it doesn't much matter to me.

Of course after being out all day greasing the pigs it can be a task to hold on to those strops without handles.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I have all kinds and though the handles are more convenient in the end it doesn't much matter to me.

Of course after being out all day greasing the pigs it can be a task to hold on to those strops without handles.

---

You are lucky being able to catch those pigs - my mother in law is so bandy she couldn't catch a pig in a passage... :)

Regards,
Neil

Plain ends for me thank you.

I used to think I would only ever use D Rings, and though I still like them, I now prefer simple barber strops with plain leather ends. The simplicity and traditional look of plain leather ends just sit really well with me - I love them. Not so much a fan of handles.

all but one of my strops are plain ends. The only one with a "handle" is actually just the strop extended in the shape of a handle, no hardware connecting a separate piece.

My only concern with plain ends is trying to hold them carefully enough to not cup the sides. For instance, a thumb on top and curled index finger below pinching the strop has planted itself in my mind as causing too much tension in the center and not pulling equally on the sides. I could just be imagining things, but it wouldn't be a worry if there was hardware keeping tension across the thing...

Pixel, that grip is a fantastic idea, as well as your usual clean execution!

Thanks Twisted,I have 3 vintage strops as my users,all horse butts.
My left wrist has been fused do to RA,I have no grip anymore so using just a thumb and a forefinger works for me.
Attachment 164007

I'm only a year into this game, but I have all three types, and so far, prefer the handles on my TM strop. I just got a Kanayama, and I'm still getting used to having no handle on that one. For me, it's probably just a case of getting used to it.

Hello everyone!
I wanted to ask you all for some advice, my husband has recently started shaving with a straight razor and safety one too, he is slowly building his collection of all necessary goodies. I want to give him a shaving related gift for our 5 year anniversary, which is supposed to be WOOD, I thought the best gift was a wooden handle strop...Could you suggest any specific brand? specific strop? Better yet, would you recommend any wood shaving items? preferably under $100

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MariaC

Hello everyone!
I wanted to ask you all for some advice, my husband has recently started shaving with a straight razor and safety one too, he is slowly building his collection of all necessary goodies. I want to give him a shaving related gift for our 5 year anniversary, which is supposed to be WOOD, I thought the best gift was a wooden handle strop...Could you suggest any specific brand? specific strop? Better yet, would you recommend any wood shaving items? preferably under $100

---

How about a wood handled shaving brush, wood shave stand (to hold razors & brush).

Welcome MariaC,

I don't know of any wooden-handled strops, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. In your budget you could get a nice brush with wooden handle - those are quite popular and come in all kinds of styles - from pieces of wood in their natural shape, to turned on lathe, to stacked from multiple woods and other materials, to carved...
There are also wooden handles for safety razors - basically you screw the head of the razor on to it.
Wooden razor scales are also popular, but that's either not going to be complete razor or over budget.

All I've ever used is D-Rings. When I've looked at plain ends they appeal to me (clean look) but then I start thinking....I like that there's a stop, due to that extra piece binding the D-ring. Can't say I've ever hit it, but think it could prevent a nice deep cut into my fingers. By the looks of it Pixels solved that problem nicely though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MariaC

Hello everyone!
I wanted to ask you all for some advice, my husband has recently started shaving with a straight razor and safety one too, he is slowly building his collection of all necessary goodies. I want to give him a shaving related gift for our 5 year anniversary, which is supposed to be WOOD, I thought the best gift was a wooden handle strop...Could you suggest any specific brand? specific strop? Better yet, would you recommend any wood shaving items? preferably under $100

---

I agree- wood handle brush or if you're set on wood strop, you can do a paddle or loom strop.
For brushes check out the classified here (or contact pixelfixed, wallyeman, harrywally). For paddle strops, check out Straight Razors Designs. I think pixelfixed still does loom strops.
What a nice gift for your husband!