Thread: Confused about strop

Hello friends,

I just bought recently this leather strop from an antique store and I have few questions.

Wich side of it should I use?

It seems that also the back has been used in the past.

I have included some pictures of the strop.

Please advise

Slick side

Hello,

Well it seems that both sides are slick, the front one with the brand name and the back where it seems there are nicks at the edges..


Thanks

The front of the strop where the name is what you want. I would give it daily hand rubbings for several days before you strop a razor.

Hello,

Just recently got this leather strop at an antique store.

Are you familiar with the brand? Is this a decent one?

Also is the side to use the one with the brand name on it?


I have included some pics.

Thanks all

The shell is a fibrous muscle tissue on the butt end of a horse and is some of the best material for stropping according to some. If the leather is in good condition, relatively smooth and free of nicks or divots, it ought to be very good. Yes, usually the side with the logo is the side to use to strop with.

Just noticed you asked this same stuff in another thread so I merged these two together. If you are not getting answered quickly enough do not start yet another thread with the same topic/questions. Have patience and someone will be along to answer your questions. You seem to have a lot of them.

You can also go to the beginner's guide in the SRP library here which will answer most of them if you have the patience to read through it. If you are going to successfully learn straight razor shaving and maintenance you'll need patience. One thing you can't buy.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If you are going to successfully learn straight razor shaving and maintenance you'll need patience.

Had to grab the belly for that laugh. Indeed! Quoted for truth

Hey, GC.

Its really a rush to get into the art. Your excitement comes through and almost all remember and recognize it. Str8 razors have all the elements required to hook the male imagination - shiny, sharp, masculine, they're a functioning tool that's also handsome. In your excitement, something to keep in the back of your mind is that it will be the skills w/ the new tools that really make for the joy. So the time you spend in practice, getting together w/ experienced members - will rocket your skills - and joy - ahead. Read, practice, etc. but if you can connect w/ other users, you'll be much further ahead.

On strops and stropping, our beloved gssixgun did a 'beginner's tips' thread in March '11 that is a MUST READ (many times) for a guy learning the manly art.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ch-2011-a.html

This whole stropping thing did NOT come easily for me. I butchered alot of strops. You'll find tips in that thread that will keep you from much of the butchery. It sounds pretty clearly that you're gonna really like the str8 shave. 'Hope you enjoy the learning and the practice. There's always help here if you get stuck.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The shell is a fibrous muscle tissue on the butt end of a horse and is some of the best material for stropping according to some. If the leather is in good condition, relatively smooth and free of nicks or divots, it ought to be very good.

__________________________________________

IMO horse butt is more easily sanded than a softer cut like say, bridle. I bought enough butt to make 3 strops and sanding is no problem because the leather is very firm. I remember using 4 different grits of sandpaper to achieve the fine feel I was looking for on the stropping surface.

JERRY
_____

Originally Posted by mrsell63

__________________________________________

IMO horse butt is more easily sanded than a softer cut like say, bridle. I bought enough butt to make 3 strops and sanding is no problem because the leather is very firm. I remember using 4 different grits of sandpaper to achieve the fine feel I was looking for on the stropping surface.

JERRY
_____

Jerry you're more knowledgeable about this than I am. I thought that once the top (polished) grain leather was gone there was no going back to that smooth a surface no matter what a person treated or sanded it with ? I have an old dubl duck 53 that I threw in a corner because it came to me too crusty to use. I figured sanding wouldn't do any good. Maybe I'll give it a shot. What grits do you recommend ?