What's new

Barber's end strops: grip preferences

I didn't think I would enjoy stropping with a barber's end, but I have definitely come around to it. I wasn't able to find a thread here about this, so I thought I'd start one to canvass (heh) people's approaches to gripping them.

Initially, I was all in on the thumb grip (1), but over time I became worried about the fact my fat, greasy thumb was going to wear off the gold stamp. Also, the thumb grip doesn't support the edges of the strop, so you may get some cupping at the back end.

The I moved to the cupping grip (2) which alleviates said risk, but can also cause some cracking of the stamp? I don't know, but it was enough to push me forward to the covered thumb (3) which I felt was an advance on the previous two, but still not ideal for the stamp, and my aforemetioned greasy thumb was still dead centre. Finally, I alighted on what I have trademarked the Right Thumb (4). Where you get support of the strop from beneath, thumb is out of the way of the stamp, and the whole setup is comfortable.

So, what is your grip preference (photos welcome)? And does it matter? Do you care about the stamps (assuming it is embossed with something)? Or do you just grab it and go and view all of this as a degree of obsession bordering on the unhealthy?

The grips:
1. Thumb (Left) 2. Cupped (Right)
thumb.jpg
cup.jpg


3. Covered thumb (Left) 4. Right Thumb (Right!)
covered-thumb.jpg
right-thumb.jpg
 
Initially, I was all in on the thumb grip (1), but over time I became worried about the fact my fat, greasy thumb was going to wear off the gold stamp. Also, the thumb grip doesn't support the edges
You could take the white glove approach to eliminate leaving a thumb print on the strop, or even a rubber glove.
 
I think I hold it more like #2, except that my thumb lies across the top. That way the heel of my palm is still encouraging it to cup in the direction I want, but not excessively. For the record, none of my strops have a stamp at the lower end so that's not a consideration for me.

(Pic with a ruler since I'm not home).
20240919_163820.jpg
 
I pull pretty hard on my strops to keep them taught, but they have handles on the ends. I can't picture being able to pull hard enough without a handle.

Maybe I'm pulling to hard, but I don't understand having no handle on a strop. Seems like it's easy to put one on when it's made. Do you get enough pull on these type of strops?
 
I strop as close to vertical as I can. I like D-rings.

I actually added a D-ring to my Kanayama. I won't do that with my many vintage strops, so my grip is thumb and pinkie on the front, three middle fingers behind. The strop is bent back.

IMG_6505.jpeg
IMG_6504.jpeg
 
Yep. I have strops with handles and am able to comfortably get the same level of tautness with or without handles.
Even the ones with handles, I don't use the handles. To amend my post above (after paying attention this morning), I do a thumb over grip on my narrower strop but on the others I do more like your second photo, with the exception that most of the contact with my thumb and fingers is on the respective edges of the strop. That way I feel like I have more control of how much I'm cupping it.
 
Top Bottom