Thread: good cheap strop?

Originally Posted by SirMike

Ahh, strops chat! LOL

I am soon to get my first straight and thinking about a strop! I want to know what is a good brand to check out and one with a price that won't cost too much as I dont want to get too much into it right at the start til I know whether or not I will like it so it is possible to get a good/very good strop for about $20? What width and length of a strop should I look at getting, a 2 or 3 inch wide one?

Right now all I have is a leather scrap piece I picked up from a local leather shop that is about 11 inches by about 2 inches wide. It doesnt seem long enough to me when I practice stropping with an GD straight.

Thx.

Hoping you actually read the prior pages of this post as there are a host of options listed here..

Width is a matter of preference. 3" will allow you to strop a normal blade with using an X-stroke. That said, I just PiF'd my original 3". All of my remaining strops are 2.5".

While I can't comment on the piece of leather you have, and 11" is short for a hanging strop, it can still work. I have a loom strop that is shorter than that and under 2" wide and I just adore it.

alright, I have used the 3" red latigo a few times now, and I have to say that I most definitely will have to stay with a 3" its 100% better compared to the 2" and as far as the red latigo leather it is very responsive and you get good feedback the cloth material is great

Again I have to thank MikekiM for sending me his old strop it's in great condition and I hope that at some point in the future I'm in a position to do the same!

I was hoping you would post an update!!

Really happy it's working for you.

I was really keen on 3" when I first got to stropping as it gave me one less thing to worry about..

Over time, I've developed a natural x-stroke and find 2.5" to be my sweet spot. 2" is a little narrow for me for a hanging strop. But I have a 1.5" loom that I just love!

Enjoy the strop!!

M