2" V 3"

If there is anyone out there who's started out with a 2" strop and wondered if it was worth getting a 3" - I'll say this - "it is."

I have always been a two inch strop guy. I bought into the whole cupping issue being a nightmare on a 3," and the whole x-stroke is way better than a straight up and down. Well first off, a two inch strop can cup too lol. And not using an x-stroke on my new 3" strop didn't make even a slight difference to me.

I'll even go out on a limb here and say that i think that a 3" might actually be easier to use than a 2". Just less things to think about. I don't think I'll ever buy a 2" again.

Anyway - that's my experience. What do you gents feel on the issue of 2 v 3?

I have a Illinois #127 2 1/2" (16 years old) and I've been thinking of getting a 3" from whippeddog.com. A buddy of mine let me use his the last time I was in TN and I thought it was great! I guess I'm just too lazy to get one yet.
ANNE!! Gimme another Kokanee!

What about 2.5"? :D That's the optimum size for me.. Can deal with 2 when traveling, didn't like 3, but 2.5's perfect.

To me, a strop is a strop. They all do the same job no matter if it's 2", 2 1/2" or 3". Where the 2" and 2 1/2" win out is in the variety of materials available vs what you can find in the 3" range.

I prefer a 2 1/2" strop. So much so that I actually cut my SRD Premium 1 three inch strop down to 2 1/2". I have owned a few 3" strops but sold them and stick with 2.5 or in the case of a Hand American and my Kanayama I think they are 2 3/4.

It's fun to hear so much talk about 2.5" inch - I only know of three places I could order one and two of those three are on back order lol.

Never thought about cutting one down lol : ) That's just a great idea lol!

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Originally Posted by Theseus

To me, a strop is a strop. They all do the same job no matter if it's 2", 2 1/2" or 3". Where the 2" and 2 1/2" win out is in the variety of materials available vs what you can find in the 3" range.

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That's exactly the opposite for me lol!! Too funny. I found way more variety of materials in 3" - heck I bought the 3" because I simply had to have a Roo strop and it only came in 3"... that I could find anyway. ; )

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Originally Posted by earcutter

That's exactly the opposite for me lol!! Too funny. I found way more variety of materials in 3" - heck I bought the 3" because I simply had to have a Roo strop and it only came in 3"... that I could find anyway. ; )

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Star Shaving offers "The Big Momma" line of 2.5" strops in a couple of choices of leathers. Can't attest to their quality as I've never tried'em but I've heard good things about them from a couple of members, but can't offer my endorsement until I've put my babies to them.

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Star Shaving offers "The Big Momma" line of 2.5" strops in a couple of choices of leathers. Can't attest to their quality as I've never tried'em but I've heard good things about them from a couple of members, but can't offer my endorsement until I've put my babies to them.

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I'll have a look - thanks.

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Originally Posted by earcutter

That's exactly the opposite for me lol!! Too funny. I found way more variety of materials in 3" - heck I bought the 3" because I simply had to have a Roo strop and it only came in 3"... that I could find anyway. ; )

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That's because you're only looking at new strops. Guarentee you won't find a genuine porpoise leather strop in 3". ;)

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Originally Posted by Theseus

That's because you're only looking at new strops. Guarentee you won't find a genuine porpoise leather strop in 3". ;)

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Oh dude - for real?? I want - I want lol!!

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Oh dude - for real?? I want - I want lol!!

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I've seen seal leather strops as well.:)

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Originally Posted by Theseus

I've seen seal leather strops as well.:)

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I guess NO ONE retires from SeaWorld!

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Originally Posted by Theseus

I've seen seal leather strops as well.:)

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Where are you seeing these? I haven't even heard never mind conceived of these things, and I think up some weird stuff lol!!

Closest I have come was wondering what sting ray might be like... other than too small ; )

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Where are you seeing these? I haven't even heard never mind conceived of these things, and I think up some weird stuff lol!!Closest I have come was wondering what sting ray might be like... other than too small ; )

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Most of these I've seen are in pics or in old catalog pages. Basically, if an animal has skin that can be tanned into leather large enough, it was probably made into a strop.

And the search begins... : )

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Closest I have come was wondering what sting ray might be like... other than too small ; )

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Umm...our Aussie friends might remind us that their national hero was killed by one.

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

Umm...our Aussie friends might remind us that their national hero was killed by one.

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No.. He was killed in a shootout with the police Obituary: Rod Ansell - Arts & Entertainment - The Independent

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Originally Posted by Theseus

I've seen seal leather strops as well.:)

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............Attachment 101611................

Hirlau, you post the funniest sh!^!

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

Umm...our Aussie friends might remind us that their national hero was killed by one.

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Actually, I'm a little affronted by the idea that you think he was our national hero; he was a product. And he ran a business. A likeable fellow, but a bit draining; a bit 'in your face'. I myself enjoy a less invasive style of nature enjoyment; I'm not intent on dragging every reptile, mammal, monotreme, bird, fish or insect out of its natural habitat and thrusting its perplexed little face and genitalia into a camera...

..just a sec; we're talking about STROPS???

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Actually, I'm a little affronted by the idea that you think he was our national hero; he was a product. And he ran a business. A likeable fellow, but a bit draining; a bit 'in your face'. I myself enjoy a less invasive style of nature enjoyment; I'm not intent on dragging every reptile, mammal, monotreme, bird, fish or insect out of its natural habitat and thrusting its perplexed little face and genitalia into a camera...

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My apologies. I did learn a great deal from Mr. Irwin's programmes. Sorry if I offended you. :fim:

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

My apologies. I did learn a great deal from Mr. Irwin's programmes. Sorry if I offended you. :fim:

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Oh no, no offence, it's my fault for living here...

I think it comes down to personal preference. I have both, use both, and like both. Interesting enough, though, most of my DIY paddles are 2".

I've seen vintage strops marked "sealskin" on the bay. When I was a kid I was fascinated watching the barbers strop their razors. Back then they always shaved the back of your neck and around the ears after a haircut. Some still do. So you would see them strop their razors often. In those days, AFAIK, a 2 1/2 x 23" strop was default for a pro barber strop.

They had squared off ends, not leather grips at the end. Those were shorter, sometimes thinner and meant for home use. One old barber I knew, Frank Natal, had been cutting hair for 50+ of his 70 years, and he swore by a dubl duck strop that had turned black and was hard as a rock. The strop I coveted was the Red Imp that Tom Coppeto had. Watching him strop was a treat. Poetry in motion. He was also a 50 year barber but I knew him when I was a child.

Finally got a nice Red Imp off of the bay and it is a great strop.

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Originally Posted by diyguy

I think it comes down to personal preference. I have both, use both, and like both. Interesting enough, though, most of my DIY paddles are 2".

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Paddles are a different story.. That's where I'd prefer a 3" and that's what I got :D (well it's a 3" piece of leather contact-cemented on a piece of marble tile, so more of a bench hone)

I really get a kick out of these conversations. I remember almost fist fighting rather than even trying another strop besides my 2 1/2 inch strops. Wouldn't budge forever. Then I reluctantly gave in and tried one and have found the 3 inch to be the easiest strop in the world to use both in the hanging and paddle versions. I had the same aversion to the longer strops as well.

This is so much a decision driven by either personal choice or agenda......:beer1:

Have fun.

I presonally like the 3" strops... but wouldn't recommend to a beginner. There is much good learned from the X stroke that applies to other things... so a 2" is perfect for that. Plus, I have a couple blades that are longer than 3" cutting edge, so I still need to use the X

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Originally Posted by Lynn

I really get a kick out of these conversations. I remember almost fist fighting rather than even trying another strop besides my 2 1/2 inch strops. Wouldn't budge forever. Then I reluctantly gave in and tried one and have found the 3 inch to be the easiest strop in the world to use both in the hanging and paddle versions. I had the same aversion to the longer strops as well.

This is so much a decision driven by either personal choice or agenda......:beer1:

Have fun.

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It's good to know you go through the same thought processes or dreck lol!! ; )

Been thinking about that seal strop:

I think it would be priceless if some dude up north in Canada got a venture grant from the his/her Government and began manufacturing seal-skin strops.

Certainly they should be called the Small Paul for the 2", and the Big Paul for the 3"... That's short of course for Paul McCartney!

Bahahahaha... sorry too much?

Harp seal hunt a 'stain' on Canada, McCartney says - Canada - CBC News

As Lynn pointed out, it's all pretty user-specific. Another endorsement for starting with 2.5" - it's a "medium" size to try out and then decide whether you wanna go bigger or smaller or stay right where you are :D

Speaking of sizes, didn't Josh have a really big one (4"?) made for use with that Ellis custom or were we just teasing him about it?

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Been thinking about that seal strop:

I think it would be priceless if some dude up north in Canada got a venture grant from the his/her Government and began manufacturing seal-skin strops.

Certainly they should be called the Small Paul for the 2", and the Big Paul for the 3"... That's short of course for Paul McCartney!

Bahahahaha... sorry too much?

Harp seal hunt a 'stain' on Canada, McCartney says - Canada - CBC News

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So, a baby seal walks into a club.... <-- ok enough Canadian humor :D

Realistically, it would not be such a bad idea Our government regulates the quotas to maintain the population (actually the population has been growing), whitecoats aren't being killed and a huge majority of kills are humane. Those that don't do it humanely, end up in legal hot water. With all that, I'd have zero issues with stropping on seal skin, regardless of what Paris Hilton thinks of me :cool:

I was wondering when somebody would bring up that you don't strop straight up and down on a 3 inch strop same as you don't hone straight up and down on a 3 inch hone.. Anyway to me it doesn't much matter the the width, I am not as fond of smaller than 2 1/2 but anything from 2 1/2 -3 is my sweet spot..

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I was wondering when somebody would bring up that you don't strop straight up and down on a 3 inch strop same as you don't hone straight up and down on a 3 inch hone.. Anyway to me it doesn't much matter the the width, I am not as fond of smaller than 2 1/2 but anything from 2 1/2 -3 is my sweet spot..

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Glad you brought that up - I thought I might be doing something wrong lol. I don't know if it's because I started out with a little 2X6 stone and a 2" strop or what, but I can't seem to move my blade straight up and down anything LOL!!

To be serious for a moment though - I really struggled getting the 3". I am not sure why I had so much in trepidation. When I got it, I was intimidated as sin - It just looked so dang large!! Somehow though - the 3" slows me down a bit and feels incredible natural; much more so than the 2" now that I think about it.

Of course it's a YMMV thing - but it's worth a try!

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

So, a baby seal walks into a club.... <-- ok enough Canadian humor :D

Realistically, it would not be such a bad idea Our government regulates the quotas to maintain the population (actually the population has been growing), whitecoats aren't being killed and a huge majority of kills are humane. Those that don't do it humanely, end up in legal hot water. With all that, I'd have zero issues with stropping on seal skin, regardless of what Paris Hilton thinks of me :cool:

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Being a carnivore sees me in a kind of schizophrenic state of mind on the whole issue. I guess the bottom line for me is short of extinction, I would be fine with it too.

It's kind of hard for me to find seal hunting or any kind of hunting a bad thing as I eat my chicken burger... have you seen how those things are grown?

Guys:

2.5 and 3 inches are the best measurements in regards strops perse. In my case I have both a Kanayama and a Tony Moler one 3 inches wide. I can work with both in a perfect way. Now, in my personal opinion less than that is not good. I purchased a Dovo a month or so ago and is 1 3/4 I used ones and that's it is hanging in the wall doing nothing. Not my personal preference.
Any of those strops either 2.5 or 3 are the best options, in my particular case 3 is better. Less work when stropping better results.

Thanks
K