Thread: Hanging vs. Paddle

I haven't had to do any traveling in years and don't anticipate doing any in the near future. If I was traveling one of the modulars would be my choice. I prefer a hanging strop for daily use. I like the length and the fact that I can adjust the tension by feel. Ever since I was a kid I was always fascinated watching a pro barber strop their razor on a hanging strop. I like my paddle, flatbed, and loom strops for pastes and chrom-ox but the hanger is the mainstay for me.

Hi SnakeyJake,

Use use plain leather paddle strops for virtually all my stropping.

I just get on with them better than a hanger

I am probably in a minority, as I think most people use hangers for their day-to-day stropping.

When both are used properly, there should be no difference in the final results.

Have fun !

regards

Russ

I have always used a hanging strop, but have a question now that people are speaking so highly of the paddles. If one hones with tape and keeps the tape on thru CrO, and then stops on a paddle, do you really have enough give in the leather to touch the real edge of the blade. I understand the geometry of honing and stoping without tape on either a paddle or hanging strop, but in my mind it seems like it should be different if one uses tape. Thanks for your thoughts.

Lewis

tape won't make a difference with a modern thick leather paddle

The hanging strop is the classic way to strop and that's probably why it's the most popular. I have both hanging and paddle but I reserve my small paddle for travel and I have two bench strops which are basically large paddles I use for diamond paste and CrO.

As they say all roads lead to Rome.

Thanks for everyone's post. I'm leaning towards the paddle because I'm having the difficulty of not having an ideal place to hang a strop.

Just mho from a rookie. I use the SRD modular paddle with bridle leather and hard felt, and I also have a new Kanayama Cordovan 60000. What is working best for me post shave is 15 to 20 passes on the hard felt pad followed by 20 passes on the bridle leather and then 30 passes on the Kanayama. Pre-shave another 20 to 30 passes on the Kanayama. I am probably overdoing it? but it is the best routine for me I've found yet. After about 10 shaves I use my second modular felt pad with the .5 micron diamond spray and then move through the post shave drill. I have to admit I have never felt a piece of leather in my life like the Kanayama it is such a pleasure to use. The razor is truly drawn to it.

The paddle is more versatile for several reasons. It's easier to travel with,you do not want to fold a regular strop in a suitcase. It will ruin it. The paddle is interchangeable,and in the long run that is awesome. You can try other leathers and use several different pads for different paste applications. Plus i found it easier to learn how to strop on. I started out with a SRD original version paddle(it didn't have the interchangeable pads and leathers) and learned the proper technique before i went out and bought a regular strop. Now i have several different strops plus the SRD original paddle. And i use them all