I want a new strop - I think!

Hi guys,

I could use a bit of advice from you folks with a lot of strops.

I have the urge to get a new strop, I mean I really want one!

I have a 3" English Bridal leather strop and I have a 2" cheapo which is pasted.

Here are my questions:

Why do I want or even need another strop?
What are the pros & cons of having another strop?
Why do some of you have so many strops?
I want a heavy draw I think because it keeps me slow and deliberate, is Latigo heavy?
Occasionally i hear the swish sound that means my spine is not on the leather, would a heavy draw reduce the likelyhood of that?
If Latigo isn't heavy, what should I be considering that is?
My wrist aches after about 40 laps and I have to rest for a few seconds before I do the final 40, am I doing something that is making it harder on me?
I have to admit that I don't really flip the razor between my fingers so much as use my wrist to flip it.

I welcome any advice before i go fo it.

Happy New Year all

Up to 2 years ago I had one strop for nearly 30 years. Its an old Horrors. Its a little beat and worn but still a go to. Two years ago I picked up a Red Imp which is my second choice.

That English bridal should be a very heavy draw. Mine is. It makes my horween shell from Neil miller feel slick.

Kanayama is also slick. I enjoy stopping on mine.

I would let up on the pressure you are using. 40 laps should not be tiring.

That's just SAD....:roflmao:rofl2::roflmao:rofl2::roflmao:rofl 2:

Wooooo hooooo. I got a million of em and they're all bad.

I have a srd English bridle strop with decent draw. Used it for awhile until I got a kanayama strop and that is the only thing I use now.

I have never had wrist problems while stropping but I am also only 25

I think hoh need to lractice holding, flipping and stropping. You shouldnt have issues with lain unless your hands are bad to start with. I take pills daily for my hands but i can strop 200 laps without an issue.

Do we need to have 15 or 25 strops? NO. Its just fun to try out different leathers made by different makers. Vintage is fun to own too. But if you want another, talk to a strop maker and tell him what you want.

I will only ever use my Kanayama which i treasure maybe more than any razor. If you can afford it go for Cordovan is my advice .

Kanayama is a great strop. I own 2. But it is a smooth, fast leather. BUT, Everyone should own one, or two.

See, I too like a heavier draw. puh-TAE-toe/puh-TAH-toe (actually it's puh-TAE-toe, but...shhhhh)

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I have never had wrist problems while stropping but I am also only 25

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I never did either when I was 25. Actually I never really did till I split my finger in half but...:shrug:

Steve, you're thinking all wrongly about this. The issue is not whether or not you need a new one. The issue and parameter is twofold and goes like this: whether you want one and can afford one. :tu...
That is all you need to know.

Fendrihan has a Kanayama on their Boxing Day sale page. Still almost $300 CDN.

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Originally Posted by STF

Hi guys,

I could use a bit of advice from you folks with a lot of strops.

I have the urge to get a new strop, I mean I really want one!

I have a 3" English Bridal leather strop and I have a 2" cheapo which is pasted.

Here are my questions:

Why do I want or even need another strop?

You always need mor “stuff”

What are the pros & cons of having another strop?

You only need one strop but it’s nice to use different draws

Why do some of you have so many strops?

As above

I want a heavy draw I think because it keeps me slow and deliberate, is Latigo heavy?

Depends. Latigo can have a heavy draw but Horween Latigo is a wonderful medium draw.

Occasionally i hear the swish sound that means my spine is not on the leather, would a heavy draw reduce the likelyhood of that?

No, only good practice.

If Latigo isn't heavy, what should I be considering that is?

Horween Chromexal has a lovely medium to heavy draw. At first it’s quite fast but after a few months of daily use will develop a medium to heavy draw.

My wrist aches after about 40 laps and I have to rest for a few seconds before I do the final 40, am I doing something that is making it harder on me?

You answered your question below, flip the razor between your fingers.

I have to admit that I don't really flip the razor between my fingers so much as use my wrist to flip it.

Practice flipping your razor between your fingers, your razor and wrist will thank you for it. If you look in the library there is a great video by AFDavies.

I welcome any advice before i go fo it.

Happy New Year all

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As mentioned Kanayamas are perfect strops and the pinnacle in mosts collection.
Vintage Shell are fantastic. For new strops Scruppleworks and Westholme are wonderful. Alistair Summer’s of Westholme has leathers of all draws and can tailor to your needs.
I personally like all the different draws but remember draw doesn’t effect outcome.

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Originally Posted by DZEC

Fendrihan has a Kanayama on their Boxing Day sale page. Still almost $300 CDN.

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Thanks, even on sale $300 is too expensive for a me. I would burst into tears if I cut it, and I would.

I think fast draw for the beginner. Buttery heavy draws are unpredictable through an x-stroke with some razors.
Best to learn on a strop which offers less resistance. JMO
I like my lighter draws. Boarhide comes to mind. I can get some work done easy on those.
I also like my heavier draws. The Japanese and soft shell. I match blades to strops often.
All lighter grinds get faster draws and the heavies get the er Heavys!

Unless I am lazy (usually) where everything gets my Miller red bridle on a Lipshaw strop...

Some of my finest strops are vintage horse-shells I got on Ebay for around 50-60 bucks plus shipping. Save a search for vintage shell strops and wait for something nice to show up. I have a beautiful Japanese cordovan that was close to $300, but I didn't "need" it. One of those vintage shell strops will set you for life if you take care of it.

A luxurious strop is to be deserved on a practical level. You must experience what you are missing only by doing without.
Let's not cut that....Eh?
Expensive strops seem more common than common ones. At least in vintage. (junk excluded)
Common strops are not always preferable?
I never regretted a nice strop.

I'm not a fan of bridle strops. Way too much draw for me. If you want a change, I would suggest horsehide or vintage shell. Very light draw. 3" wide is too wide for me. 2-1/2" barber's end is just the ticket.

You can always use the suede.side.for heavier draw. The Heirloom Workshops Old No 2 Roughout has a spectacular suede side. Maybe, also consider a Herold Solingen 180J. sharpeningsupplies.com has them for $65.99 US. You can probably find them from Canadian suppliers for a similar price. It is rather thin but I have been pleased with mine. It is a good strop for starters because it's not too expensive so if you do knick it up it's not a huge investment down the drain.

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Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

You can always use the suede.side.for heavier draw. The Heirloom Workshops Old No 2 Roughout has a spectacular suede side. Maybe, also consider a Herold Solingen 180J. sharpeningsupplies.com has them for $65.99 US. You can probably find them from Canadian suppliers for a similar price. It is rather thin but I have been pleased with mine. It is a good strop for starters because it's not too expensive so if you do knick it up it's not a huge investment down the drain.

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Funny you say that Paul. I've been in touch with Tony at Heirloom strops and I reckon that the Premium Steerhide Old No.2 is the way to go for me, maybe it also has a suede back side, I didn't think to ask but it wouldn't be a deal breaker because my bridal doesn't either

The steerhide is thicker than the horsehide so if i did cut it I would have more leather for sanding and repairs, its a medium to light draw which has been suggested is a good draw and will work well with my razors that are all quarter hollow to extra hollow and I love the colour which as we all know is the most important aspect of any strop :roflmao

I won't order a practice strop because I have been practising on my English Bridal Leather for a little over a year and can keep using it as a practice strop. My bridal does have a few small cuts and knicks from when I started out but it has been repaired and i haven't cut it for quite a while so I wanted to treat myself.

If I do make a boo boo on my new strop, Tony can sell me another piece of leather so plan A is not to cut it but thankfully there is a plan B. I'll take it slow and easy, it's the speed that gets me everytime.

It's going to cost me quite a lot because of the currency conversion and shipping but I've read that Heirloom strops are the bees knees so it will be worth it eh.

I haven't decided whether to go for 2 1/2" or 3" yet, I have a 3" bridal and a 2" cheapo pasted strop.

I rarely use the 2" pasted strop so it doesn't count but the 3" bridal is nice. Thing is, I have read that 3" can cup. I haven't experienced any cupping with mine yet but since I read about it I can't help but wonder if it will happen eventually. Will that render it useless to me?

I have also read that some people tend to cut 3" stops more than 2 1/2". I don't have any problems doing x-strokes on a strop, in fact i always do x-strokes on my 3".

The x-strokes on my 3" started so that it didn't matter if I was stropping a smiler but just became a habit so I automatically do x-strokes all the time now.

I don't think 2 1/2" would be a problem for me but I don't want to regret my decision either, like I said I have only used 3" but worry about the possibility of it cupping eventually and if I had less chance of cutting a narrower strop it's something else to consider. I've read that a lot of guys here prefer a narrower strop, if I'm doing x-strokes anyway, maybe its 2 1/2" time.

I've always been a fan of narrow strops.

Early on I was at a meet talking to a leather worker (hidestoart) that also made strops. I noticed that all of his strops were 3" and asked if he ever made 2½" or 2¼" strops. He said 'Yes, but they are the same price as the 3" strops.' I remember being kind of stunned and not knowing how to react, but after thinking about it for a while I decided that if I ever did buy one of his strops I would still prefer narrow.

Whenever I try to X stroke on a 3" strop I often kind of roll the strop, which makes sense because the wide strop makes it easier to get the pressure farther from the center.

Yep. What Vic said.
A 2.5" is more made for the X stroke. I have plenty of 3" and 2.5" and prefer the 2.5" size. It just feels more correct.

Tony will do ya right. He is a good guy and easy to work with.

Yeah I would agree with both of those previous comments. Tony is very easy to work with and he makes really nice stuff. You won't be disappointed with probably anything you get from him. I think the cupping usually comes from pulling it too tight IINM. Still you can correct that also. I like the 3-in myself because I figure it's more real estate for the money but I still use a couple of belts that are 2" and 2 1/2". The 2 1/2" one is some kind of canvas which I think might be hemp. It came with a pair of cargo shorts that I have. It's either that or jute. Whatever it is I think it works better than the fire hose linen that I have. That's what makes me think it's hemp. I could always smoke a piece of it and find out.:roflmao

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Originally Posted by Gasman

Yep. What Vic said.
A 2.5" is more made for the X stroke. I have plenty of 3" and 2.5" and prefer the 2.5" size. It just feels more correct.

Tony will do ya right. He is a good guy and easy to work with.

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I agree with the others that recommend a 2.5” strop. I have a 3” and it is a bit more difficult to handle - you have to be careful not to roll it.

FYI - when I ordered the 3” strop from Scrupleworks, the owner recommended not to put a handle on it. He said it would make the wide strop more difficult to control and more likely to roll and suggested a traditional barber end would be a better choice for a wider strop.

CORRECTION - Mustn’t have had enough coffee when I wrote this. Torolf at Scrupleworks actually said exactly the opposite. He suggests a 3” SHOULD HAVE a handle to avoid rolling the strop. Mea culpe.

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Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

You can always use the suede.side.for heavier draw. The Heirloom Workshops Old No 2 Roughout has a spectacular suede side. Maybe, also consider a Herold Solingen 180J. sharpeningsupplies.com has them for $65.99 US. You can probably find them from Canadian suppliers for a similar price. It is rather thin but I have been pleased with mine. It is a good strop for starters because it's not too expensive so if you do knick it up it's not a huge investment down the drain.

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HA. I just treated myself to a "fancy" strop that was $60.

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Originally Posted by planeden

HA. I just treated myself to a "fancy" strop that was $60.

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My fancy strop will be 2 1/2" Premium old No.2 SteerHide from Tony at Heirloom Strop Co. It will cost $80 but with the currency conversion to Canadian and the shipping I guess I am looking in the region of about $150 ca. Living in the great white north almost doubles the cost of a lot of things from the US.

I won't get charged duty because it's made in the States but I could very well have to pay 13% Sales Tax (HST) at the door.

I have looked at new strops in other stores, and even in Canadian stores $150 ish isn't a bad price for a decent strop, there are a lot of more expensive ones but guys here really rate Tony so I am confident that I will be happy with my investment.

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Originally Posted by STF

Funny you say that Paul. I've been in touch with Tony at Heirloom strops and I reckon that the Premium Steerhide Old No.2 is the way to go for me, maybe it also has a suede back side, I didn't think to ask but it wouldn't be a deal breaker because my bridal doesn't either
Thing is, I have read that 3" can cup. I haven't experienced any cupping with mine yet but since I read about it I can't help but wonder if it will happen eventually. Will that render it useless to me?
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The Roughout that Paul FLUS describes is a different material than my steerhide and is made using the flesh side rather than the skin side. The back side of the Steerhide strops will feel different and is not exactly usable as I make my strops with a very slight crown in the convex to counteract cupping. Usually either the strop flattens while stropping or one's usual variations in the stopping stoke cause the entire edge to make contact at some point in each stroke so for most the convex is not an issue if they even notice it.

If made with end caps with either D-rings or handles cupping is reduced on any strop but can still happen when near the center, far from the stabilizing caps and is why I opt to go slightly convex. A plain end 2 1/2" strop can be controlled with how it is gripped but that is harder to do on a 3" width and why I typically will not make 3" plain end strops.

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Originally Posted by Tony Miller

The Roughout that Paul FLUS describes is a different material than my steerhide and is made using the flesh side rather than the skin side. The back side of the Steerhide strops will feel different and is not exactly usable as I make my strops with a very slight crown in the convex to counteract cupping. Usually either the strop flattens while stropping or one's usual variations in the stopping stoke cause the entire edge to make contact at some point in each stroke so for most the convex is not an issue if they even notice it.

If made with end caps with either D-rings or handles cupping is reduced on any strop but can still happen when near the center, far from the stabilizing caps and is why I opt to go slightly convex. A plain end 2 1/2" strop can be controlled with how it is gripped but that is harder to do on a 3" width and why I typically will not make 3" plain end strops.

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When and why would a person use the flesh-side (suede) instead of the leather or is it part of a progression?

I have d-rings on my 3" English bridal but I don't hold them because I find my strop twists to different angles which makes it difficult for me. I hold my strop at the screws and find it much easier to control.

I also have two cottons on it, the original one which is a hard one that is rough and makes a nasty zip sort of noise, I also have a really nice soft light brown cotton that I bought from DVW and feels really nice to use.

I'm not an expert on strops but my understanding is that the suede has more pull against the metal and will actually remove more, even though it is a very small amount, all leather really does. But the smooth side does more polishing than sharpening. On the microscopic level anything that that tiny little ridge of metal contacts has some effect on it. We use stones because they have a greater effect to accomplish more. That sawtooth edge then gets smoothed and aligned more straight by the leather. As you mentioned it really is a progression just like stones. In general I would use pasted cloth, flax linen, unpasted canvas, suede and then smooth leather in that order personally. I don't always use all of those but it depends on the edge. Sometimes I will stop a razor that is already sharp on just the smooth leather and then go back to suede during the shave or perhaps even all the way back to the pasted cloth depending on how much help it needs.

The flesh side that Tony talks about is the inner half (although it may not be exactly half. I'm not an expert on tanning either)of the hide. It is split leather which I think most strops probably are, at least cowhide. If you have ever seen an unsplit cowhide you know that that hide is very thick. The Herold Solingen that I mentioned is the skin side which is why you can see the grain in the leather which you don't in the roughout which is smooth.