Barber end strops: Yea or Nay?

[kohalajohn]

Just out of curiosity I removed the bottom caps and rings from my old strops, just to see how it felt to strop barbershop style.

It worked fine. And I like the simplicity of barbershop.

But Tony is right, a barbershop should be longer, as my hand grip wasted four inches of the end.

One strop is 2.5 and the other is 3 inch. The 2.5 was easier to grip in my hand. The large size of the 3 made it a touch awkward.

And that's fine, I prefer a 2.5 anyway.

What I liked was no longer having those heavy d rings swing down and bang the drywall when I finished stropping. But I suppose I can lower them down gently.

I think I'll put the D rings back on. A barbershop strop really should be ordered barbershop at the outset.

I can see it's just personal preference and both ways are fine.

 

[Tony Miller]

Just out of curiosity I removed the bottom caps and rings from my old strops, just to see how it felt to strop barbershop style.

It worked fine. And I like the simplicity of barbershop.

But Tony is right, a barbershop should be longer, as my hand grip wasted four inches of the end.

One strop is 2.5 and the other is 3 inch. The 2.5 was easier to grip in my hand. The large size of the 3 made it a touch awkward.

And that's fine, I prefer a 2.5 anyway.

What I liked was no longer having those heavy d rings swing down and bang the drywall when I finished stropping. But I suppose I can lower them down gently.

I think I'll put the D rings back on. A barbershop strop really should be ordered barbershop at the outset.

I can see it's just personal preference and both ways are fine.



View attachment 1234943

I have done some barbershop, plain end strops with small end caps just enough to thicken the end of both leather and cloth components making then a tad easier to hold and to stiffen the leather and cloth to help keep them flat. No narrower 'waist" to hold a D-ring, just a leather cap same width throughout as the strop body.

Not a fan of plain, square cut ends on 3" strops though as to me they are just too wide to hold flat enough. I know some fellow are okay with wide ones but not something I would offer.

 

[kohalajohn]

I have done some barbershop, plain end strops with small end caps just enough to thicken the end of both leather and cloth components making then a tad easier to hold and to stiffen the leather and cloth to help keep them flat. No narrower 'waist" to hold a D-ring, just a leather cap same width throughout as the strop body.

Not a fan of plain, square cut ends on 3" strops though as to me they are just too wide to hold flat enough. I know some fellow are okay with wide ones but not something I would offer.

Hey Tony,

That's a great idea.

My bottom ends were looking ratty and unfinished, with the exposed holes and different colour. An end cap on the bottom of a 2.5, but with no metal D ring to bang into the drywall, solves that. No need for the metal. It would make it look finished, and would give somethig to hold on to.

I'm going to put my bottom caps back on, but without the D ring.

I think that may be how I order them from now on. And four inches longer.

 

[kohalajohn]

Photo of the bottom caps, without the metal

 

[kohalajohn]

I know I could order those fancy leather handles at the bottom.

But to me, they seem a bit too fancy. Also, when I tried them, they felt too narrow in my large hands to grip tightly. A 2.5 grip feels the right size for my hand.

Just a personal thing. I'm sure I'll eventually order one with a fancy bottom handle.