I stepped outside my comfort zone and tried a 3" wide srrop and really liked it. Is width a just a preference thing or is there functionality aspect between 3 inch and 2.5 Is one better suited to noobs than the other (not a boob, just curious...).
Pro's/Cons of a 3 Inch Strop vs 2.5" ?
- Thread starter duke762
- Start date
It's a YMMV.
The argument for a 2.5" is that it forces you to do an X stroke, which is better technique, and narrower strops are less likely to cup or warp.
A 3" is probably easier for newbies since it fits the whole length of the blade and you can just go up and down, but you should still try to X stroke, IMO.
My strop is 3", so as to match my preferred linen component, but I get away with the cupping issue by using thin roo leather, which is flexible enough to conform to the edge of the blade. Most strop leathers will not do that.
Probably, if I ever need to make a new strop I'll just have my 3" linen, and 2.5" leather as two seperate strops.
The argument for a 2.5" is that it forces you to do an X stroke, which is better technique, and narrower strops are less likely to cup or warp.
A 3" is probably easier for newbies since it fits the whole length of the blade and you can just go up and down, but you should still try to X stroke, IMO.
My strop is 3", so as to match my preferred linen component, but I get away with the cupping issue by using thin roo leather, which is flexible enough to conform to the edge of the blade. Most strop leathers will not do that.
Probably, if I ever need to make a new strop I'll just have my 3" linen, and 2.5" leather as two seperate strops.
Last edited:
I think one of the reasons I chewed up my first strop so much (2 inch I think) was because of the x-stroke I had to use (being an absolute dope aside). Upgrading to the 3 inch did help with that, although I still use an x-stroke for the most part.
I think either a wider or narrower strop will do the job just fine, if it's used correctly.
For 5 years I only owned one strop which is 3.15" wide. I use it for up/down and X strokes and I just recently bought my first 1.7" as a backup strop for (slightly) warped blades and X strokes because X strokes feel better on a narrower strop. With the wider strop, I used to do the X strokes on one edge, but after all this time you can see some patina/wear on that side.
If I would have to use one strop only, I would probably go for a narrower strop. But I find that each one has advantages, so I use both of them for now.
For 5 years I only owned one strop which is 3.15" wide. I use it for up/down and X strokes and I just recently bought my first 1.7" as a backup strop for (slightly) warped blades and X strokes because X strokes feel better on a narrower strop. With the wider strop, I used to do the X strokes on one edge, but after all this time you can see some patina/wear on that side.
If I would have to use one strop only, I would probably go for a narrower strop. But I find that each one has advantages, so I use both of them for now.
Last edited:
Actually, after thinking about that post, I’m tempted to treat myself to a new 2” strop, as I think I still have some of that linen in 2”.
At this point, I think I would choose a 2” over a three. Show me a 3” vintage strop. The old timers knew what they were doing.
Indeed, they figured this out long before us. As far as I know, the wide strops were in fashion a few years ago, but nowadays I think that trend is slowly fading away.
Yeah, another forum that was connected to a store pushed them heavily, but I think, having used all sizes, the narrow strops are better when you know how.
Learned on a 2.5" and when I finally got a 3" it wasn't as effective. Chock it up to my grip, how taut I keep my strops or whatever preventing the center of the strop from making effective contact, but it really felt like LESS surface was contributing to the stropping. I've sold off plenty of really nice 3" strops simply because 2.5" works better for me. That and it's a LOT easier to scratch a 3" strop doing an X stroke than a 2.5" one.
My first strop was 2", so when I asked @Tony Miller to make me a longer one, I stuck with the 2" width. It works for me, especially with the additional runway. 
What length is it and would you go higher or lower than that? Reason I am asking is because I am tempted to look for a 1.7" width and 12-13.5" usable length strop, but I am not sure if I can actually use comfortably all that length. Current one is only 8", which I find a bit short.My first strop was 2", so when I asked @Tony Miller to make me a longer one, I stuck with the 2" width. It works for me, especially with the additional runway.
20" or 50cm. I have long arms, so I like not having to pull short. After using it for a couple of months, I find the length just about perfect.
I need to do a test in the air and see how far I could go with my strokes, but now the itch to buy a long one is there.
My strops normally have a 17" stropping surface which works well for me (and I am 6' 6" tall LOL). I can occasionally do longer ones depending on where I am in the hide cutting process and what sizes the hides are. Shorter is easy as I can just cut down a regular length strop.20" or 50cm. I have long arms, so I like not having to pull short. After using it for a couple of months, I find the length just about perfect.
I've settled on 2 1/2", and as long as the hide will allow, within reason. My favorite Scrupleworks Vegetable Tanned Horse has a 24 1/2" stropping surface... It allows more work to be done, or fewer laps.. my choice.
I think it's just a personal preference... whatever one is comfortable with.
I think it's just a personal preference... whatever one is comfortable with.
When I started my journey, wider was better - for both strops and hones. I am now beginning to appreciate narrower. The width of a Kanayama strop - 65 mm / ~2.5 inch - seems about perfect. And narrower hones are very convenient for blades with uneven grinds.
@Tony Miller has said that it is difficult (if not impossible) to obtain 2.5 inch linen. @Legion has a point about separate strops for leather and linen.
@Tony Miller has said that it is difficult (if not impossible) to obtain 2.5 inch linen. @Legion has a point about separate strops for leather and linen.
3-inch for all my modern stripes and 2 1/2-inch in all my vintage stripes. I use both without noticing any glaring differences.
I like a classic 2-1/2" x 24" barber's-cut dimension. That and narrower/shorter strops. 3" has always been about a kind of default "super size me" as far as I can tell.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
It's a personal preference thing. For me, I prefer about 65mm width in my strops. I don't have to be meticulous with X strokes like I would with a narrower strop. I just include a little lateral movement in each stroke.
- Thread starter
- #19
No one caught the misspelling in my post. I admit, I am a boob, not a noob. Most, if not all, of the challenges I've had straight shaving were user induced.
Yep, I wonder if the 3" strop is just a passing fad.
Wow, 12-13.5.....don't think I could do much on that. The 3" I tried had 16" of draw, the same as my vintage strops. So, okay, I'm not really using the whole 16" to stay away from the hardware and such.....hmmmm
Yep, I wonder if the 3" strop is just a passing fad.
Wow, 12-13.5.....don't think I could do much on that. The 3" I tried had 16" of draw, the same as my vintage strops. So, okay, I'm not really using the whole 16" to stay away from the hardware and such.....hmmmm
In the 17+ years I have been making strops nearly 85% have been 3" wide despite my favorite and the ones I suggest being 2 1/2" wide LOL.
I will occasionally cut 2 1/2" blanks when the hide will not have room to get one more 3" and they sit, usually being sold as close-out sale and even then they hang around for months while the 3" get ordered as fast as I can make them.
I have found the width trend has followed the widths that genuine linen is available. For a long time I could only get 2 1/2" and that is the stop people bought, when the supply of 2 1/2" dried up and 3" became available again no one was buying the 2 1/2" strops any longer.
Right now the mills I works with are not making any linen webbing and apparently the fiber needed is unavailable as it is sourced from the current war zone.
Similar threads
