What do you think of this idea?

I've been thinking a lot about travelling with razors lately. In a couple of months I'm off on a four week trip, so I would like to use a straight when I can. I've got my travel shorty razor, I've taken care of the strop problem, and I have my Wee Scot and Arlington stick. But I was worried about keeping the razor sharp for a month.

Sure, I could take a barber hone, but to be honest I have never been a fan of the edge straight off a barber hone. My coticules are a bit heavy and expensive to have knocking around in my luggage, and pasted paddles are getting on the big side, which I wanted to avoid, and is why I made my rolling travel strop.

So last night I put this together. It is basically a mini bench strop, which you can use on a table (it has rubber feet), or is thick enough to grip in your hand. The stropping surface is kangaroo leather with CrOx, but could just as easily be balsa, because it has a thick leather cover to protect the surface (and to keep the CrOx from getting on the stuff in your bag.) The leather can also be used as a handle if you want to use it on a table top. It is 6" long x 1 3/4" wide.

What do you think? Any ideas to improve the design? I have plenty of time to make another one before I go, if there are any great innovations.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...u/P1000515.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...u/P1000514.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...u/P1000512.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...u/P1000513.jpg

I think this is a pretty good idea. To take it a leap further, you should make a dopp kit bag with a solid piece of wood/hard plastic sewn into the inside. then you can use the leather of the bag as a strop and case for all of your essentials! It's an idea I've been rolling around but no skill or tools to actually create.

lemme know if you ever want to offer one of those for sale......

i would be interested...

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Originally Posted by paco664

lemme know if you ever want to offer one of those for sale......

i would be interested...

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Thanks. Yes, well anything is possible. Maybe I could do a package deal with my travel strops or something.

But I'll have to play with this some more to see how it works in real life. I only built it last night, and I don't have enough razors with dulling edges to test it fast enough. At least with a strop you can use it every shave, so you quickly know if there are any changes you want to make. But so far I think this will work pretty well as it is.

how does the unbuttoned leather end fasten? is it just a nail that you stretch a hole over?

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Originally Posted by TwistedOak

how does the unbuttoned leather end fasten? is it just a nail that you stretch a hole over?

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Yeah, basically. It is a brass nail with an asymmetrical head which hooks the leather. Not the the most elegant solution, but works well.

I like the concept. With your permission, I'd like to experiment with the idea a bit. I don't have any kangaroo, but I might be able to come up with something that will help out.

By the way, I love my kangaroo travel strop. I think it's coming with me on a week long climbing trip in the Canadian alps. Should get some cool photos of it in action.

Phillip

I like this! nice and well done!

As TwistedOak suggest, I think i'll try with a bigger one, digged on a side, to make a "travel box"...

Nevermind, good idea and good job!

CAUTION GENTS-

Any more talk of sales and you know what happens to this thread.:chop:

Is the leather on top just a cover or can it be used for stropping? I think its a really cool design, nice and simple and functional.

-dan-

It could be used for stropping, although it is quite small. I make a rolling kangaroo leather travel strop which is 2" wide and about 17" long, so that is much easier and more practical for stropping, and rolled takes up no room in the Dopp kit.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...u/P1000290.jpg