What Makes A Great Strop

I have a few local leather guys with stores here,....

what makes a great leather strop, why shouldnt i just walk into his show with a picture and say make please,... if he has no knowledge of straight strops

or if he has good leather thats flat is that something i should look into at least to price ?

im going to look into a TM strop or one from SRD for myself anyway,... but thought hey there is this guy a block away i have a coat from him i had made in highschool and its still a supple as the day i got it without cracks or anything and no stitch loss, he obviously knows how to make a quality item, but probably has never made a strop, but then i have never asked so maybe he has

should i stay away,
or at least inquire

my mind wants to know

I myself have used Tandy leather here. I bought some cowhide, 3"wide x 50" long. I made a few paddles. Hanging strops would have been easier, You just need a bit of hardware. Handles aren't really needed. Most leather shops I know including Tandy have varieties of leather. The Tandy here even had Kangaroo, so you can get whatever you want.

Most of the treatments are optional, Feel or Draw is personal preference. Cowhide works just fine imo. I'd tell him what I was planning to do, check out some samples, and go from there.

I am not sure honestly. I have made my own strops that I load with various grits of diamonds for sharpening knives, but with razors...

I started with a strip of leather that came from a place like you mention. It worked JUST FINE for my needs...but, it did not have the nice swivel and clip to hang it from my towel rack, and it did not have the nice handles. It also had no component for linen.

When I started looking into the components to make a strop the way I wanted it, the cost was within a few-20 bucks to get something that not only looked really nice, but was guaranteed to work nicely (and was already prepared/seasoned for the purpose).

So in the end, it made sense to not DIY on this one. YMMV

Sorry I'm very new to strops, can you describe draw?

Is this how we describe the friction and how smoothly that razor passes over the leather, meaning the resistance?

Syngent, Draw is the resistance to your stropping stroke, caused by friction. Some leathers or finishes give greater or lesser resistance. An example of low resistance material would be 'shell', which is not really leather, but used like leather. 'Almost no resistance at all. Latigo would be considered a high resistance leather. I understand buffalo is also high resistance.

There's controversy as to whether or not resistance has beneficial properties, other than personal preference. There are also controversies about whether or not a particular kind of steel is best served by a particular kind of strop material. IMHO, I think we don't have as much knowledge recovery in the area of stropping, yet. That makes me avoid emphatic statements about 'best', 'always', 'never', etc.

For anyone recently interested in strops and stropping, Glen's 3/11 beginner's tip thread is golden. Hope this fills in a gap or two.

I'll check it out man thanks

Some strops achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them: some strops take a while to hit their stride before they become great - you have to work them and be patient. Some strops are great straight away - high quality leather and fit and finish.

Personally I prefer a thin strop and use kangaroo leather almost exclusively nowadays. But in the end, a great strop is one that does its job IMO.

James.

Im kind of thinking since im new and cant really tell whats good and what isn't, i should just stick with something proven for now and then with experience under my belt later maybe look into the local guy,...

I gave him a call and had to explain what a strop is lmao so i dont think maybe its a good idea


at least yet

This what you want, 50 inches long, select your width 3 inch. You get a 20 inch strop once you cut it in half, and two 12 inch board strops (you can just use a couple foot long pieces of 2x4) contact cement the leather to the wood.

Tandy Leather Factory - Natural Cowhide Leather Strips

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Originally Posted by syngent

Im kind of thinking since im new and cant really tell whats good and what isn't, i should just stick with something proven for now and then with experience under my belt later maybe look into the local guy,...

I gave him a call and had to explain what a strop is lmao so i dont think maybe its a good idea


at least yet

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I really agree with the idea of being new and not able to appreciate the differences (I feel this way at times) OTOH, you are new and there is no point in making the learning curve any steeper than needed by using gear that may not be optimal....OTOH still, as a new guy you will likely damage your first strop (most do)...OTOH, you would probably like a less wishy washy answer...and that is the point.

There is merit to almost any decision as long as it leads to learning and improvement.

I like Latigo with the nice little clip/swivel and D-rings. If your local guy can make something similar and you love it...you should be good to go;)

I would also suggest that it will probably be a while before most new shavers will understand/appreciate and be able to consistently duplicate the results they want with a strop anyway;) Don't take my words as pontificating or anything like that...it is just what I have noticed in my own experiences in the last few months;)

I am not sure what makes a good strop a good strop.
If it seems to work it might just work.

I am not sure what makes a good strop a good strop.
If it seems to work it might just work.

well said two times twice !

A good length of smooth leather will get the job done. If the guy down the street has been leatherworking for a long time he will probally be able to make you at least a useable strop and maybe a great one. Most of us end up with a couple strops so if you get a SRD strop or TM strop none will really go to waste. Most new guys will nick there first strop so that is also something to think about.

I made a strop last night, I'll post a pic after work.

edit: here it is. Tandy leather 3 inch wide 50 inch length for around 35 bucks, I cut it in half then folded the top over and sandwiched the fabric. Hole punched and riveted the pieces together. The bottom I cut a 3 inch piece and folded it over, hole punched them then sandwiched each strop to hold the D ring grip. For a swivel I bought a piece of leather lacing and just tied it on. The remaining hunks of leather I will use to make board strops for pastes.

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well done, came out fantastic Scookum

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Originally Posted by syngent

well done, came out fantastic Scookum

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Thanks! and a big plus its inexpensive!

So im going to buy a strop tonight, noticed there is more then a few bucks to ship a strop to the canadianas, bu also noticed fendrihans strops look quite similar to the SRD ones,... anyone know if they are the same thing ?,... cause they would work out to be the same thing to me but since im a town or two over from fendrihan a lot less shipping time and no customs agents involved

I havent bought one from fendrihans but I have heard good things about his products

A great strop is not made. It's born, grows up, and is slaughtered, it's hide is tanned and bought by someone of certain talent who then proceeds to make it into a great strop (and all sorts of other great leather products.) I prefer my own 'roo hide products myself. :)


Mick

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Originally Posted by Scookum

I made a strop last night, I'll post a pic after work.

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Once you start it is hard to stop!

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Originally Posted by 32t

Once you start it is hard to stop!

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Oh my goshness man thats SAD, that is to say strop AD

Syngent, order the black 3 inch latigo from fendrihan. Its a good strop. Or you can make a learning strop like mine cause you are likely to hack yours up at the beginning.

K... I'll be back in five minutes

Orderrrrrr awayyyyyy

Well i did it,... depending on what time he gets it out ill have it tomorrow or thursday

Lol maybe i should make a video for my first ever strop for the stroptober thread or make a new one for everyone to pick away at all the things im bound to do wrong,.. and hey maybe even catch my first nick or something worse,... its bound to get a hit or two i mean who really watches nascar for the racing right lmao

Oh maybe even a live google hangout lesson/disaster piece theater

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Originally Posted by Scookum

Or you can make a learning strop like mine cause you are likely to hack yours up at the beginning.

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Mine are all learning strops! These are from a few pieces of leather from Tandy. One thing that I have learned is that ones cut from the upper or back side are much better than the pieces close to the belly.

One more day,... well less then that, when i get home tomorrow there will be a happy length of leather awaiting me,... well happy until it realizes it got sent to a beginner,... then again its leather so it doesnt think

but im happy, so thats all that matters

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Originally Posted by syngent

So im going to buy a strop tonight, noticed there is more then a few bucks to ship a strop to the canadianas, bu also noticed fendrihans strops look quite similar to the SRD ones,... anyone know if they are the same thing ?,... cause they would work out to be the same thing to me but since im a town or two over from fendrihan a lot less shipping time and no customs agents involved

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I buy all my shaving stuff from fendrihan. they're awesome. I have the tan English bridle strop and love it. They're a great company to deal with. heres a trick I learned, always ask for samplers in the shipping comments. doesnt matter what company, or what you order. They always put something in.

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Originally Posted by Scookum

I made a strop last night, I'll post a pic after work.

edit: here it is. Tandy leather 3 inch wide 50 inch length for around 35 bucks, I cut it in half then folded the top over and sandwiched the fabric. Hole punched and riveted the pieces together. The bottom I cut a 3 inch piece and folded it over, hole punched them then sandwiched each strop to hold the D ring grip. For a swivel I bought a piece of leather lacing and just tied it on. The remaining hunks of leather I will use to make board strops for pastes.

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What? No handle?

Sorry - couldn't resist. Seems to me someone asked me that very same question a few weeks ago. :)

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ml#post1026177

you i read that just yesterday, and yet still.....

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Originally Posted by Cangooner

What? No handle?

Sorry - couldn't resist. Seems to me someone asked me that very same question a few weeks ago. :)

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ml#post1026177

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I Has Leather


Stay tuned for more on this story as it develops

Well i Just did my first Strop,... all is well i didnt cut nothing or hurt anything, Im off to shave to see how it feels while the video is uploading to Youtube,...

Word of caution phones will autocorrect "stropping" into "stripping" which thank goodness i was only 3% into my upload on a video titled first time stropping, when i noticed that !

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Originally Posted by Cangooner

What? No handle?

Sorry - couldn't resist. Seems to me someone asked me that very same question a few weeks ago. :)

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ml#post1026177

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There will be a handle later, I'm terribly busy what with all the scales and thing I'm making! That and I'm still trying to figure out how they sew leather :)

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Originally Posted by Scookum

There will be a handle later, I'm terribly busy what with all the scales and thing I'm making! That and I'm still trying to figure out how they sew leather :)

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I hope I am not stepping in the middle of something!:)

I don't like handles because they limit you to using one end only. And I think that a D ring makes for a more even pull.

I see 2 things that I would change on your design. First I would make the folds to the same side. Preferably to the rough one of the leather. And second for one more D loop you could have 2 strops. Other than "tradition" why have them together. If you nick one the other is attached. If you would like to wash the linen how would you do that connected to the leather. If you want Crox on the backside it is very awkward to use. I see no practical reason to have two materials on the same strop. Spend 50 cents on another d ring and make two separate strops.

Tim

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Originally Posted by Scookum

I made a strop last night, I'll post a pic after work.

edit: here it is. Tandy leather 3 inch wide 50 inch length for around 35 bucks, I cut it in half then folded the top over and sandwiched the fabric. Hole punched and riveted the pieces together. The bottom I cut a 3 inch piece and folded it over, hole punched them then sandwiched each strop to hold the D ring grip. For a swivel I bought a piece of leather lacing and just tied it on. The remaining hunks of leather I will use to make board strops for pastes.

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Scookum

I like your idea of sandwiching the fabric on the back side of your strop. Very cool idea.
That eliminates the need for putting a handle on the fabric. Again, cool idea.

Jerry____

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Originally Posted by 32t

Once you start it is hard to stop!

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Yes once you start you cann't stop.
I should post pics of mine.

Here is a picture of some of my strops got more coming in the mail.
I Learned it a good idea when you get a vintage one clean it with saddle soap.
let it dry they dry better if not back with anything.
then once dryed oil it up cause leather needs oil so badly to not dry crack rot and brake.
Oil really brings them back to life.
I might buy another one.

soon it will be three strops coming to me in the mail.
I try to only pick up useable ones off the ebay thing.