Thread: 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

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.