Thread: SZCO Strop?

Originally Posted by Tarkus

While Ive never heard of SCZO it resembles by the photograph like the Prima Rindleder strops that are always re branded with different badges. Dovo, Col. Ichabod, etc.
I think it will work just fine. Other then the hardware being a bit flimsy looking.
While the posters previously steer you to premium leathers. That's great and all, but for someone who is brand spanking new at this and is not sure if this is a passion that's gonna be a keeper, then why not start off with an economy kit?
I still own my first Dove Russian (cheap strop) well over 7 years now and it still strops properly.
J.M.H.O.

Yes I was kinda thinking that it looked like the Prima Rindleder type but couldn't tell. You're right, if it is, those seem to work just fine.
Maybe I'm just jealous cause I didnt pay $12 for mine . Haha

It does not get good reviews, if you search Szco Supplies leather strop.

I have the Dovo Travel strop, that the photo looks like and that is a very nice, well-made strop. One of the reviews stated it did not look like the one in the photo. So I do not think it is the same strop. It is also pretty small for daily stropping. The length is overall length.

Almost every review says “You get what you pay for” or words similar.

Spend a few dollars more and buy a good strop. Stropping is the finale finish to your edge before it touches your face, not where you want to skimp to save a few bucks.

Spend a few more dollars an you will be much happier in the long run. I much prefer honing on a 2.5 inch strop instead of my 3". Check out the strop offering from Straight Razor Designs. Their strops offer a very good bang for the buck.

Not going on a rant, or maybe I am.
50 dollars, 65 dollars for a new guy to buy a first time strop. I.M.O. is ill advised. Why does it always end up where it always comes down to spending more bloody dough on kit? It doesn't have to be that way.
Is it good to buy top quality gear? Yes sure, but as a first time out purchaser, who probably never put steel to leather in his life before sounds like pissing money down the drain.
Lets say get that inexpensive strop try this new hobby of yours and see if everything clicks. Then in a about 6 to 12 months if your still hooked on straights then think about up grades.
Money is too hard to come by these days.

freddjapster welcome to the forum. Perhaps you could introduce yourself properly when you have time.
For your purposes I think either strop you mentioned would be useful. If you are new to stropping you will probably damage the strop at some point in any event. Save your $ for a more expensive strop if you stick with straight shaving and have learned to strop fairly well.
Good luck.

I would forget the szco, a pakastani strop that's very hard and rough. try tony miller at the well shaved gentleman and see if he has any plain vanilla strops left. if you want to shave with a straight don't cut corners on a strop get a good one later you can pop on a nicer one. a strop under 40.00 is usually you get what you pay for if you pay for junk you get junk.

Oh I forgot to mention also that many people are happy with the whipped dog poor man's strop kit. It's inexpensive and at least it comes with a lot of praise. But that Fromm looks like it has good reviews too...

Whipped Dog Straight Razor Shaving Equipment

It's important to distinguish between a cheap strop and a quality inexpensive strop. It's true you may damage your first gear or maybe you won't. However if you buy all cheap gear your experience with straight shaving will be clouded by the quality of what you get and if the performance is minimal it could cause you to decide straights are not for you.

Kind of like a first time car owner buying a Yugo and deciding he doesn't like to drive period.

Originally Posted by Tarkus

Not going on a rant, or maybe I am.
50 dollars, 65 dollars for a new guy to buy a first time strop. I.M.O. is ill advised. Why does it always end up where it always comes down to spending more bloody dough on kit? It doesn't have to be that way.
Is it good to buy top quality gear? Yes sure, but as a first time out purchaser, who probably never put steel to leather in his life before sounds like pissing money down the drain.
Lets say get that inexpensive strop try this new hobby of yours and see if everything clicks. Then in a about 6 to 12 months if your still hooked on straights then think about up grades.
Money is too hard to come by these days.

Take a deep breath and calm down darl
i completely agree with you 100% with regards to not wasting money.
However does anyone actually know anything about this strop? There is no point buying something inexpensive if it isn't going to do the job. Personally i cant say either way as I don't know anything about it.
At least if a new shaver purchases a decent modular strop and falls out of love with shaving they would have a hope of recouping at least some of the money spent based on the fact that another person could buy it and if necessary replace a damaged panel. And down the track if they decided to stick with it could basically have a new strop for the cost of a replacement panel.

My first strop looked like Fido's chew toy after a few months, it was a Herold and I think I could still use it, just less of it, if I didn't upgrade to a better strop. The initial investment was small.....I recall reading that Neil Miller laughed at how many people he has talked out of buying one of his strops.
IMHO:
Stick with a known quantity (mentioned in above posts).
Forget reselling your first strop, at best you could give it away( to someone with a dog who likes chew toys) because you will make mistakes (if you buy a hanging strop).
Buying the best strop you can afford does not apply here.
Opt for a 2.5 strop, it is where all the cool people end up.
Good Luck, there are a lot of conflicting opinions on this site and this can be daunting to wade through.....