What's new

Beginner strop question

Lmarkow

Lmarkow

Hi, although you can use that strop, which is really meant for travel, I think you might have an easier time with what Whippeddog call the rich man's strop. It's a bit wider, which will make learning easier.
 
Alum of Potash

Alum of Potash

A classic barber's strop dimension is 2-1/2" x 24". If I'm to arrive at something narrower, 1-1/2", 2", or 2-1/4", I usually base it on this relationship. So it's something close to the following:

1-1/2" x 14-1/2"
2" x 19-1/4"
2-1/4" x 21-1/2"

Following this, a 3" wide strop would be ~ 28-3/4" long, but 3" is too wide for my taste with razors. At 13", the Whipped Dog strop is a bit short, but then, loom strops are even shorter. $8 is a not a lot of cash though, and if you can get by with this, anything else will feel like a treat.

Another possibility is to pick up a thick piece of vegetable-tanned leather belting from McMaster-Carr, cut it to a desired size with a utility knife and add a grommet at one end and practice on this.
 
C

CBLindsay

I would think as a new user you would want a strop that is 2.5" or so. So many of the strops I see for sale indicate that they have 18 inches of usable length, meaning they have 18" of clean leather without fixtures. I made my own at 2.75 x 20 and I find the width is very comfortable for most of my razors but the length is a touch longer than it needs to be for me.

I would say you would be well served by Larry (whippedogs) regular Poor mans strop but would be much happier with his rich mans strop. You can certainly find cheap serviceable strops on Amazon but you may not be as happy ...return it if it isn't smooth and well built.
 
R

Rellik137

CBLindsay said:
I would think as a new user you would want a strop that is 2.5" or so. So many of the strops I see for sale indicate that they have 18 inches of usable length, meaning they have 18" of clean leather without fixtures. I made my own at 2.75 x 20 and I find the width is very comfortable for most of my razors but the length is a touch longer than it needs to be for me.

I would say you would be well served by Larry (whippedogs) regular Poor mans strop but would be much happier with his rich mans strop. You can certainly find cheap serviceable strops on Amazon but you may not be as happy ...return it if it isn't smooth and well built.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice i have been lurking the website for quite a while since finding b&b i've been eyeing one of his flawed razors as well understanding that they are not the prettiest ones but will get the job done; my only worry is that it will need some sort of work that i wont know how to fix.
 
R

Rellik137

I want to say thanks for the advice i have a better idea on which one to get now just have to wait for my bonus comes in from work to do some shopping
 
C

CBLindsay

Rellik137 said:
Thank you for the advice i have been lurking the website for quite a while since finding b&b i've been eyeing one of his flawed razors as well understanding that they are not the prettiest ones but will get the job done; my only worry is that it will need some sort of work that i wont know how to fix.
Click to expand...

You can trust that Larry will send you a VERY functional razor even if you get a sight unseen flawed. He doesn't send out junk but it may not be the prettiest thing either. His edges are GREAT. In short, trust Larry to be fair.
 
R

Rellik137

CBLindsay said:
You can trust that Larry will send you a VERY functional razor even if you get a sight unseen flawed. He doesn't send out junk but it may not be the prettiest thing either. His edges are GREAT. In short, trust Larry to be fair.
Click to expand...

Alright cause I don't want to spend a ton of money on a first and those seemed like my best option
 
Slash McCoy

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Rellik137 said:
Thank you for the advice i have been lurking the website for quite a while since finding b&b i've been eyeing one of his flawed razors as well understanding that they are not the prettiest ones but will get the job done; my only worry is that it will need some sort of work that i wont know how to fix.
Click to expand...

Any flaws will pretty much just be cosmetic. His sight unseen, flawed or not, will be functional. A LOT of members here got their start with a Whipped Dog.

As for the strop, the Poor Man is meant to be the cheapest practical strop. You may find it frustrating to use or you may find that it is acceptable, given the low cost. Especially since you are likely to destroy it while learning.

Hobby Lobby generally has bags of leather remnants for a few bucks. I made a couple of strops from one and later I will make some more out of the remainder. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/497894-The-Gold-Daddy-Strop! Chicago screws and D rings you can easily find online. Look for 2-1/2" size D rings and 3/8" or 1/4" long Chicago screws.

For just quickie, if you have a pop rivet kit, you could rivet it. Use backing washers, though.
 
R

Rellik137

Slash McCoy said:
Any flaws will pretty much just be cosmetic. His sight unseen, flawed or not, will be functional. A LOT of members here got their start with a Whipped Dog.

As for the strop, the Poor Man is meant to be the cheapest practical strop. You may find it frustrating to use or you may find that it is acceptable, given the low cost. Especially since you are likely to destroy it while learning.

Hobby Lobby generally has bags of leather remnants for a few bucks. I made a couple of strops from one and later I will make some more out of the remainder. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/497894-The-Gold-Daddy-Strop! Chicago screws and D rings you can easily find online. Look for 2-1/2" size D rings and 3/8" or 1/4" long Chicago screws.

For just quickie, if you have a pop rivet kit, you could rivet it. Use backing washers, though.
Click to expand...

nice work on the strop would you say it was difficult to make a strop?
 
Slash McCoy

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Rellik137 said:
nice work on the strop would you say it was difficult to make a strop?
Click to expand...

Basically, no. Cut leather roughly to shape. Soak for a few days. Rub with a bottle, using pressure. Allow to dry, occasionally rubbing some more. The leather I used was very rough and I wanted to compress it and smooth it without a lot of sanding, if possible. When fully dry, apply whatever magic elixir suits your fancy but neets foot oil is I think always an essential ingredient. Rub some more. Cut to final size/shape, bevel edges slightly. Rub some more. Cut and punch ends for D rings and chicago screws. Assemble, and rub with the palm of the hand. Rub some more. And more. Sorta time consuming but no great amount of skill involved in a very basic strop.
 
R

Rellik137

Slash McCoy said:
Basically, no. Cut leather roughly to shape. Soak for a few days. Rub with a bottle, using pressure. Allow to dry, occasionally rubbing some more. The leather I used was very rough and I wanted to compress it and smooth it without a lot of sanding, if possible. When fully dry, apply whatever magic elixir suits your fancy but neets foot oil is I think always an essential ingredient. Rub some more. Cut to final size/shape, bevel edges slightly. Rub some more. Cut and punch ends for D rings and chicago screws. Assemble, and rub with the palm of the hand. Rub some more. And more. Sorta time consuming but no great amount of skill involved in a very basic strop.
Click to expand...

thanks for the outline i will have to look at hobby lobby when i get back up town the nearest one to me is 30 minutes away
 
Blorkin

Blorkin

I got started with the poor man's strop, I also added in the extra strop. I destroyed the first one learning and am still using the second one to this day. I really want a new strop but it's not a priority. The poor man's strop works perfectly.
 
Mtn Man

Mtn Man

Poor man's strop is my travel strop a year later. I have a 3" English bridle strop that is beautiful but the poor man's gets the most use becuase it is serviceable and travels well. Can't go wrong for the money get 2.
 
lohanette

lohanette

I'm about to buy my first strop.
Guy at shop recommended sprung paddle 10"x2.8".
As he's trying to make a sale, I trust you guys more.
You think I should get this as he says can't damage blade by pressing too hard.
I'm thinking practice on paddle and get hanging strop later maybe the dovo XL Russian cowhide 22"x3".
 
Slash McCoy

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Don't paste your only strop or your primary strop. Final stropping needs to be done on clean leather, preferably hanging, and pulled suitably taut. I don't believe the rigid flat surface of a paddle is the best final strop. I do think a rigid stropping surface is better for pasted stropping but again you want hanging clean leather for final stropping. YMMV as usual.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Seelector
X-strokes and stropping
Replies
9
Views
3K
Seelector
Seelector
Guido75
Razor wars - Mühle Rocca versus Razorock Game Changer .84OC
2
Replies
38
Views
3K
ivan_101
ivan_101
MrSpeedy
Back to the Future Shave!
Replies
5
Views
1K
86-foxtrot
86-foxtrot
sd_baker
Gold dollar honing experiment feedback
2
Replies
30
Views
4K
sd_baker
sd_baker
Guido75
Razor wars - KCG versus R89 versus Tech
Replies
7
Views
3K
ShavingJunkie
S
Top Bottom