first strop

[billybobbubba]

ok, so i've been thinking about getting into straight shaving, and since i just bought a straight in BST i guess I am :) now i need to buy a strop. I've looked at the whippeddog poor mans strop and have a ponderance... poor man strop kit=$22, additional leather=$11. rich man strop kit=67 additional leather=$12

accepting the fact that I will nick my first strop, i would order with additional leather, if I order the poor man, with additional strop($22+$11)=$33 and have gotten profecient with stropping, i would want to upgrade to a better strop, so lets assume i choose the rich man as the upgrade $33+$55=$88.
if i get the rich man to begin with with 3 leathers, it's $67+2(12)=$91 so for $3 i get a much more "presentable" strop, with D rings, so less worries about cupping, etc, the same amount of strop leather(3 pieces, but 3" instead of 2")

why would the poor man be a better way to go?

[smalltank]

3 leathers?..all you need is a good linen/leather side

[billybobbubba]

1 leather=you will damage it learning to strop, 2nd leather=yay i know how to strop, 3rd leather in 1st scenario=yay, i upgraded my strop

in 2nd scenario 3rd leather not really needed.

[Kentos]

I would just get the poorman for now. There are many different strops out there, and who knows what may tickle your fancy
3 months from now? Richman? Paragon steerhide? Cordovan? Buffalo? Roo? Blah blah blah .

Trying to be economical with this "hobby" is like spitting on a bon fire . Get a strop and get to shaving!!

[Earcutter]

Trying to be economical with this "hobby" is like spitting on a bon fire . Get a strop and get to shaving!!

Oh man isn't that the truth!!! LOL.

This guys got some good prices - never done business with him but might here soon lol - http://shop.starshaving.com/Leather-...-Strops_c2.htm

[rickboone1]

Just get a good strop and be careful. If you nick it, you nick it. Big whoop. I mean, you may cut your face, are you going to get a practice face until you get this down? This bugs me everyone expecting to nick their first strop. It's like having your first car. You weren't expected to wreck it. Yet, seems you are expected to trash your strop. Most nicks can be repaired and many others will have little to no effect at all on your strop. You won't be happy until you get yourself a nice strop and once you do, you'll not use anything else.

[Earcutter]

Just get a good strop and be careful. If you nick it, you nick it. Big whoop. I mean, you may cut your face, are you going to get a practice face until you get this down? This bugs me everyone expecting to nick their first strop. It's like having your first car. You weren't expected to wreck it. Yet, seems you are expected to trash your strop. Most nicks can be repaired and many others will have little to no effect at all on your strop. You won't be happy until you get yourself a nice strop and once you do, you'll not use anything else.

Odd - that's how i feel when everyone always says get a cheap first blade. Why? And yet, with the strop - I agree get a cheap one. I guess it's cuz I destroyed my first two lol.. sigh.

[rickboone1]

Odd - that's how i feel when everyone always says get a cheap first blade. Why? And yet, with the strop - I agree get a cheap one. I guess it's cuz I destroyed my first two lol.. sigh.

I'm not one way or the other about the blade. But, I see the point. Nicer things, you're more cautious and will take the time to be sure you do it right. That's my theory.

[Earcutter]

I'm not one way or the other about the blade. But, I see the point. Nicer things, you're more cautious and will take the time to be sure you do it right. That's my theory.

Totally Agree! Heck I bought in! But bro... I got bad luck with strops is all lol. Plus - as straights take a while to master, I figure you got to really want to master it, and you know, when you've dumped a bit oh cash into it - it doesn't hurt either lol.

[Kentos]

Try drop a bill on a TM and see how it feels when you nick it


It doesn't feel good...

[Earcutter]

Try drop a bill on a TM and see how it feels when you nick it


It doesn't feel good...

Ouch... yeah thats a bad buzz right there.

[Kentos]

I totally understand the point about getting a good strop up front and trying hard to not nick it, but when you first start the chances of you flipping too early are really high IMO.

[Earcutter]

I totally understand the point about getting a good strop up front and trying hard to not nick it, but when you first start the chances of you flipping too early are really high IMO.

Or you know... cut right threw it. I am to this day still dumbfounded as to how I did that lol.

I liked the OP's original thought about getting the $88 deal - as it's a 2". But that's me as I have never had a 3" and fear the cupping... But if he were to go to the site I posted, he could get three 2.5" strops! Just saying.

[hokahay]

I started with a whipped dog with a whipped dog backup. I used it like a bench strop most of the time by putting it on the edge of my desk. It received some marks. I also over oiled it I think. I sanded the nicks out and it doesn't look too bad. I stepped up to a new Tony Miller with a linen component. Like Rick said, slow and careful just like your face. it's waaay "over 9000" laps now and just a few very minor sanded out cuts at the handle end. And only just lately ever so lightly dressed. Tony had a couple strops for sale as seconds I bought for back up leather and a cotton component.

[thatsilverguy]

Just get a good strop and be careful. If you nick it, you nick it. Big whoop. I mean, you may cut your face, are you going to get a practice face until you get this down? This bugs me everyone expecting to nick their first strop. It's like having your first car. You weren't expected to wreck it. Yet, seems you are expected to trash your strop. Most nicks can be repaired and many others will have little to no effect at all on your strop. You won't be happy until you get yourself a nice strop and once you do, you'll not use anything else.

I didn't start with an Ambrose, but the one I got was a nice 2.5" X 18" stropping area. Sure I put a couple of small cosmetic dings in it but it is still perfectly usable today - in fact I used it last night. Cost me about $50 when I bought it a year ago from a local knife store. I'm willing to let it go for a steep discount...

[brother cavefish]

if one cant do it with a poor mans strop, one cant strop-----the poor mans a good deal, especially when it comes with the balsa and pastes---- sweet deal