Thread: Is 3" too wide of a strop?

Honemeister is a vastly overrated / devalued term.
Seems like these days anyone who can rub a razor to a rock is a honemeister

Unless it is one of a few seniors, said honemeister might not be doing this hobby much longer than you. I've been doing this for quite a while now, and I wouldn't call myself that, even though I know that I can hone pretty much anything to the point where it is shaveready.

Btw, it is a dirty little secret that a good number of 'honemeisters' send someone else's razor on to an actual expert if it needs more than just a quick bevel reset / touchup. They won't tell you of course. And they'd rather pay someone else than admit they can't actually hone problematic razors. Honemeister is the new snakeoil.

Anyway, 3" strops work perfectly fine. I have a 3" SRD strop, and it's been doing fine for more than a year now. Still flat, still doesn't cup. No problems with it. And a good 2" strop would work fine as well. The only difference is that crappy 3" strops are much worse than crappy 2" strops because crappy strops deform, and with increased width comes increaded deformity.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen, a 3" strop is as easy to control as a 2" strop. Actually, I have never heard of a 3" strop being difficult to control. My preference is for the 2.5 strop, although I have had 3" strops and no problem stropping.

Now that depends what you're gonna use the piece of leather for.

What most others said. Once you learn how to use a strop properly the size doesn't matter.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Now that depends what you're gonna use the piece of leather for.

Well, my friend, the best use I have found for the piece of leather on my strop is to massage my straight razor blade into a state of rapture.

I have both and enjoy them equally. With a razor that isn't perfectly flat however, I prefer the narrower strop, it is easier for me to ensure that the entire edge is in good contact with the leather.

I have read before that size doesn't matter-it's how you use it that counts Seriously though, I received some excellent advice from you guys, plus Max, and decided to ordered a handmade 2.5" strop with Linen back from The Well Shaved Gentleman. WSG is nice enough to recommend buying a practice strop, which I did. Also have the 3" Big Daddy coming in from Star Shaving Supplies and ordered some Dovo white and yellow paste for the Linen and Steerhide, respectively, from The Superior Shave. Ordered some Kohls yellow band abrasive past, but not sure what to use that on! FWIW, I have sharpened scissors, machetes, knives , hatchets and axes, but straight razors are a whole 'nother world!-Gearhead222

At the risk of being redundant, I too use several different size strops, 2", 2 1/2" and 3".
Different strokes, right...

I am partial to SRD's Premium 1, It's a real nice piece of leather, and it happens to be 3". I also enjoy Tony Miller's 2 1/2 Horse, which I really like too. It seems I'm liking less and less draw these days.

I do like the fact that SRD has replacement leather for their strops. Even the most experienced user can have a bad day.

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

I'm a fan of the 3". It doesn't require x strokes, which I found tedious when learning, and haven't used anything but a 3" since. But, as Jimmy said, it's a preference thing and a lot of guys like the 2 & 2.5".

Here's a link to Lynn demonstrating and talking about strops, including 3" preference. http://straightrazorpalace.com/video...ing-video.html

Good Luck!!

Regards,
Howard

Definitely recommend the 3" strop to a beginner so he doesn't have to learn the X pattern. The "straight" back and forth pattern is hard enough to learn.

This is my opinion and only that. X strokes are desirable in stropping as in honing. Does anyone wonder why hones are not made in 3 inch widths for razors? In like mindedness, does anyone wonder why 3 inch strops are a fairly new phenonenom after centuries of more narrow strops being standard? Laziness or fear of using proper technique is no reason to straight strop a razor, regardless of width of strop. So many shapes and curvatures of bevels, yet a 3 inch strop cures all?
I detract from this train of thought. Again, JMHO. YMMV
Tom

I have many strops from 2 in. to 3,can use them all,but my daily is a 3 in. pegasus.
But I always use an X-stroke because it is the natural thing to do,seems a no brainer.

To answer your question, I do not think 3" strops are to wide.
I have 2 1/2 and 3 strops that I use with the x stroke.