Strop Material...need some HELP

Hey Gang,

So I am getting ready to purchase a strop from SRD and need some help choosing the material. I already have a small Illinois strop w/ one piece leather the other webbed fabric which I use chromium oxide on. Opted to go with the "build your own 3" strop" at SRD because this will be my second strop and wanted something wider and have heard nothing but good things about the strops at SRD.

It seems the Latigo is a popular choice but I wasn't sure how it compared to the Buffalo or the Premium leathers listed.

My choices of material are below but I'm not to sure what I am gonna go with. I am thinking Latigo Leather and for the other piece Hard Wool Felt. I was planning on spraying the felt with some .25 or .5 micron spray and using after my 8k stone when honing. Any and all suggestion or input are greatly appreciated. Just making sure I'm on the right track before I commit to buying....Thanks Gents!!!


- Matching Webbed Fabric

- 100% Cotton Herringbone Weave

- 100% Hard Compressed Wool Felt

- Red Latigo Leather

- Black Latigo Leather

- Our Premium I Leather

- Our Premium II Leather

- Our Premium III Buffalo Leather

The Hard felt is a great choice for the cloth side except for one thing. If I understand correctly you will have CrOx on your current fabric strop and having a diamond sprayed felt on the new strop would leave you with no clean cloth strop. For day to day use you want an untreated cloth strop.

The Latigo will give you the most draw of the options you listed. I have several Latigo strops and I have found that I now prefer a lighter draw so I have been using SRD Premium 1 and SRD English Bridle. I use the Web fabric for the cloth side.

I don't want to spend your money, but I would "build" an English Bridle with web fabric. In addition, I would go for the Modular Paddle and spray the felt pads with CrOx and Diamond. You can also interchange various leather pads depending on what you are trying to accomplish. That is exactly what I am using now and it works great. I also have a hanging Hard Felt strop, but you wouldn't need that if you have the Modular Paddle.

Edit; I just looked at the SRD site. It appears that the Bridle is not one of the Build a Strop choices, but is available as a ready made choice.

Thanks Bill, yeah I guess I never realized the modular paddle from SRD actually came with that many different mediums. Its also quite nice that you can buy replacement medium if need be which gives alot of flexibilty.

With that said I will probably buying the modular paddle strop and then eventually buy the English Bridle as my checkbook allows. I guess my little Illinois 206 will have to due for a bit longer. Thanks for suggestion......

I have the modular paddle and find it to be a great all around strop. There are so many things to like about it, like the interchangeable surfaces, and the ability to have everything you need in one strop; with the only downfall being the somewhat short length. I have grown to love it and you can work around the length issue with good technique. I dont strop fast but I am able to get my razors very sharp and maintain them well with this by going to the diamond paste following the 8k hone and then maintaining using the non tanned leather strip and "regular" strop surface. I am sure someday when I get the bathroom re-modeled or move I will have a longer leather strop for daily use but right now I am quite happy with what I have. Thanks SRP

Bummed.....after the suggestions above and reading the reviews on SRD I was ready to buy my modular strop from SRD. Doht.... Not listed on the website, they are probably out of stock right now but hopefully will get some more soon. On a sidenote I live in Columbus about 2 1/2 hour drive from Imperial Shaving which I have also heard nothing but good things about. Maybe they will have some of the modular strops, but I know if I walk in there I'm coming home with :rock:more that a strop! Roadtrip!!!!!!!!!

NICE!!!!! SRD just got some more modular paddles in on their site (been checking daily for a while). So Bill I took your advice and pulled the trigger on the modular paddle. Can't wait to get it. I'd love to get the English Bridle strop as well but my wallet says my old vintage strop will have to be my hanging strop for a while. I will probably try to use the paddle for some daily stropping as it comes with a premium leather pad.

I also pulled the trigger on some Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap since it's gotten such awesome reviews my the rest of the SRP folks. Thanks guys......hurry up already FEDEX! :rock:

Excellent! I think you will be really happy with your decision.:tu