Thread: Tony Milller strop

Problems for those new to stropping is more about the width than cost. Start with a 3 Inch strop, and learn your stroke, then use a 2 1/2 inch strop.

I have a plain vanilla and the 2.5" artisan, and enjoy both. The plain vanilla is a faster draw, so I strop abou 30 on the artisan then 30 to 40 on the plain vanilla. Tony is a great guy and if you contact him, he will do his best to keep you informed and work you in when he can.

Got a 3" old Heirloom strop and I really like it. I've been doing 40 laps on my TM and its ready to go. I do 15-20 prior on my fire hose strop and is a great combination. Really polished edge that shaves smooth.

I think we get caught up a bit in strop width. You can still nick a 3 inch strop when you are learning the muscle memory of stopping. Some blokes even after years curse the stopping process, it can frustrate some. If you use a 2 inch, 2 1/2, there is no rule that says you must use a type of x pattern, you can just go back and forth, and move around and do the job just fine. I use as you know a Kanayama, which is 68mm wide, or 2.72 inches wide! The one I'm using everyday is about 9 months old now, a#70000, and improves with age. I don't try the x pattern, I just strop on it covering my razor over the 100 strokes or so I do. There are no nicks or cuts in my strop. Some say a nick gives a strop character. I say it's BS if I nicked my nicely mellowed #70000 I'd be annoyed!

I rely on my TM #2 to keep my edges sharp. It's got 6-8 nicks, but still does a wonderful job. Here is my routine:
Pre-Shave: Strop 100 on Tony Miller Heirloom #2
Post-Shave: Strop 30/30 Cotton/Linen on TomoNagura
Lightly oil and put up.

Tony Miller #2 here as well. 30/30 flax linen/leather. Very smooth results.

Tony does outstanding work !!

I have a total of 4 strops and my TM is my goto strop.

I purchased a TM Plain Chocolate w/ flax linen in new condition on the BST, a special run that he made with flax linen second component about a year ago and the quality is outstanding. I wish this would have been my first strop when I started.
It now resides in a good friends shave den and he's enjoying it a great deal.
In it's place came a like new condition TM Heirloom Old No.2 in 2.5" Notovan horse w/flax linen second.
A steel at what I paid for it used, came with a tiny slice at the very top that was easily repaired and this example is another beautiful strop.
Immaculate execution of timeless design, and the draw is very light and fast, flax linen is a refined smooth consistent weave, supple and very flat.
Handles and hardware are top notch so I can highly recommend Tony's strops, a great guy to do business with and outstanding product line.