Printable View
Hey all,
I am new to straights and my first strop is a poor man's strop from Whipped dog straights. I know I will probably kill my first one and so what I'm looking for is in a few weeks when I need a new one what should I get?
I'm looking for something on the cheaper side but descent quality
Thanks in advance!
Unless you are worried you won't stick with straights, I don't see any reason to buy a cheap strop. It's something you'll use as frequently as you use your razor, and something you should be just as unlikely to damage. I have never nicked a strop, and can't really understand why someone would. Pay attention to your technique, and get a strop that will do its job properly.
As for the not nicking the strop....haha who knows if I will or not just received my razor today and have not used it yet so have not tried to strop it.
Also when I say cheap I mean like 40-70$ I'm poor lol
I know great hobby to pick up when I'm poor XD
Thanks guys!
I think I will try a latigo and see how I like it
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guidry
My first strop was a SRD black 2 inch Latigo and I still love it. I have 3 inch strops but that Latigo is like a old baseball glove.
If you could make it to Rochester, you could sample a variety of leathers.
I'm not taunting, just stating a fact.
If I were you Guidry, I would take Utopian up on his offer, you will learn a ton. Save yourself a lot trial and error related to choosing a thing that you might or might not like. Nip any acquisition disorder development in the bud.
I just bought a tony miller plain vanilla, its in your price range and one heck of a strop
I may take Utopian up on his offer at some point but I have as of yet not even made my first shave lol will here in about half an hour......I'll make a post about it later tonight I think
But yah Rochester is only like 2 1/2 hours away not much further than Des Moines so some day I may have to take you up on the offer especially if I start honing my own razors .... I will probably need help lol
You are welcome any (almost!) time.
Haha I'll make sure to ask before I show up XD
I bought one of those for my brother and agree that it is a very good strop.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tfosterjr
Yep good advice and learn to shave and strop first , you need to know what a razor should shave like before you jump straight to honing , as you mentioned your on tight budget, and hones is not cheap ,, spend a little money on a decent strop, SRD. has some fine ones that are inexpensive, and you can change out the leather if you do mess it up beyond repair, but if you take your time and pay attention you shouldn't nick or cut it, I haven't cut a strop yet and I,m in this 2 years. Good luck. Tc
If you look at the SRD Latigo, consider the 3" version of it. It was helpful for me when learning how to strop, to have the extra width. It is a very nice strop.
Buy an SRD strop with replaceable leather. They have an entry level strop in the $50-60 range, with replaceable leather.
Can't go wrong with a SRD or Tony Miller. I just picked up a Tony Miller I don't think I will ever own anything else. Love everything about it. Let us know how your first shave went if your able to lol.
Here is a link to my other post about my first shave
http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...have-ever.html
Unless/until you get to the Mayo Clinic Strop Shop in Rochester there is always old reliable....
http://www.edweek.org/media/2005/04/...newspapers.jpg
Good cheap strop is a homemade strop . Make yourself and dont waste money for first cheap strop .
After a while , buy something top quality .
D denim strop made out of an old jeans works fabulous for shaving . Or get a piece of vegetable tanned leather fromthe store and make your self a cutting strop / first strop /
I was not aware of denim being a posable strop material but ibalready have a cheapo ststrophat I got from Whipped dog straights it is by no means anything special lol
Have you found your strop yet?
If you are looking at the SRD Latigo, I'll hook you up.
I have a 3" red latigo with pasted poly-web second component. It was my first strop, and it served me well. It has a few nicks and rubs, and the bottom rings have long been cannibalized to another project, but it's a perfectly good strop.
It's yours if you want it. Cover postage for a couple of bucks and I am happy to PiF it to you.. It's hanging in my closet seeing no use and taking up hook space. I have way too many strops.
PM me if you want it.
My first strop was a cheap one. Paid 5$ on ebay. Worst mistake in my life. Had it for 5 stropings and it fall apart. After that i bought a nice Dovo strop for 50€ and some leather for custom made strop.
I was going to buy a latigo so that sounds like a good idea so I can try it before I buy a new one then can do the same thing and give it to the next guy later when I do get a new one!!
Well i gona tell you not to be angry , but there is an answers to all questions /for those are new and did not know /
In the upper left corner right next to forum is Library Button
you enter and there it is all the wisdom for a start levell . This is what you searching in the part that sais Strops
Making a linen strop out of denim - Straight Razor Place Library
Making a (very) home-made strop - Straight Razor Place Library
I was not planning on making a strop.
This is a most generous offer. I would take him up on it without hesitation.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikekiM
I agree it is very generous!
You can't go wrong with an Illinois. Affordable, and good, tough quality.
The strop the member above offered ( MikekiM) is a fine one, it was my first strop and it served me very well!
Oh boy.. I did this too...Quote:
Originally Posted by lutherus
What I got was something that looked like a strop.. It had handles and a hook to hang it from. But that's where all similarities ended. The leather was horrible; crinkled and stiff with a nasty cup. I never used it.. not once. The second component was.. I don't know what it was but it sure wasn't linen or cotton. I think it was a slat from an old Venetian blind or maybe a wide piece of those plastic shipping straps that are impossible to cut. I scavenged the metal ends and threw the rest in the garbage.
My first is a poor man's strop from Whipped dog straights ...... It gets the job done
Illinois strop. Have used one for 20+ years. Works well. All top grain strops feel similar to me. Never liked 3". They tend to cup more.
Being a newbie with only 5 weeks of straight shaving in my rear view mirror I have tried a couple of strops I settled on the Herold Solingen. I found it to give good feedback and my technique improved quickly using it. I am very happy with the purchase.
@MikekiM I just got the strop in the mail thanks again! I'll make sure to post something about it once I use it!
Awesome!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Guidry
Use it in good health. It served me well.
At the moment i have the 2" linnen and leather strop from Whipped dog and i'm more then satisfied whit it. I might upgrade later on but for now that strop do the job fine. Just my opinion. Gino
When you do, I suggest 3" saves on the elbow. The x is a pain after the 3" strop
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papabear11
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.
well if you plan on stayin' in go to straightrazordesighns.com, and get a 3"Quote:
Originally Posted by SirMike
if you just wanna though money away to see if you like it and upgrade later go to whippeddog.com and get a 2"=
or even cheaper, if you have a leather, belt your not using, your in bluishness and its Free
Tony Miller 2 1/2 inch plain vanilla for $45. He still had some earlier today, but they sell out fast and it can be a long time between batches. Sometimes I wonder if they are made from unobtainium leather, but he is a small shop and has very high standards. I have four of his strops and even the plain vanilla is high quality.