Cheap strops. Do they work?

[SliceOfLife]

So I started out with a Zeepk strop and I remember that my edges immediately improved when I got an Illinois as an upgrade way back when. Since then I've avoided all the cheap strops. I've seen a guy or two claim they can work, but most people seem to recommend almost anything (jeans, old leather belts, newspaper) over these things. So I wanted to test them.

Truth be told, as I looked, around $6-10, some things that look much more like actual strops started to appear... but in general, my findings on these purchases is that the pictures rarely represent what you actually get, so I wouldn't be surprised if those sellers are selling the same exact strop but with more dishonest pictures.

Mine cost under $3 shipped to the US from China. Can't get much cheaper than that.


I honed one razor to PDSO finish, stropped it, and will be shaving in a few minutes.


Hardware and fit and finish -

Extremely cheap, obviously. Folded piece of wire (basically a wire hanger material) for hanging, and handles that well, are better than I expected, but still really bad. Surface is ~60mm x 290mm (~2.25"x 11.5")... so very small, but usable enough to learn stropping on. The cloth side has a stain from machining oil used on the hanging hardware that was left on where the hardware rested during shipping. Leather appears real, but very low grade... 1mm thick, extremely ragged/chewed up on the flesh/suede side, and heavily ridged on the smooth side (almost snakeskin texture)

Cloth side... feels nice actually. It's got a good, heavy draw and is a little elastic but not much so it forms to the razor well. No clue if it does anything, but other than the size, it's actually not bad.

Leather side feels like a very clingy/aggressive not quite rocky, but definitely not silky action. Like the feel of the boar hide strop I used a few months ago, turned up a few times.

HHT:

Wives hair -- Root in - Hard fail, but it's HARD to pass on her hair even after a real strop... she gets crazy amounts of treatments and has absurdly fine hair

Root Out - Pass, but hell I can pass root out without stropping, so meaningless.

My hair -- Definitely not anywhere near the pass I get off a real strop, but I can get a root in pass a few(3-4 mm out (a good pass is 10+mm)). Not enough evidence to say it is functional enough to shave off, but it did something.


Now to shave. I'll report back.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Started the shave and the edge definitely wasn't up to par.
Shaved half my face then took the razor to a good quality leather strop. Didn't do much. Took it to a good quality strops linen and then leather and the shave improved, but still not as sharp as this edge should be.

Rehoned and scoped. Edge looked right.
Stropped on this strops leather and inspected... clearly some stropping being done, but also some dings in the edge that shouldn't be there.
Went to this strops linen and leather again and scoped... appears to strop well enough, you definitely aren't shaving with an unstropped razor after using this, but it has flaws that do damage the edge... and those problems appear to be in the leather. The half of my face I shaved with this strop is fine. The shave was a little rougher than it should have been and it's not quite as close as it should be, but it's an acceptable shave. That said, it's not as good as the other side of my face that was shaved with the same edge and razor but stropped on a good quality strop.


Is it better than no strop? Yes. Way, way, way better.

Is a good hone and this strop better than a bad hone and a good strop? Yes.

Is it worth the $30-50 savings? No.

Even if it worked fine, the flimsy hardware, size, and other issues would make it only usable for the absolute first few days/weeks of learning to strop, but given that the leather actually damages (albeit not serious, but definitely noticeable in shave) the edge, I don't think this is a suitable strop for a razor.


That said, It worked much better than I expected, and I may give one of the $7-10 strops a try to see if perhaps they fix the problem that this strop has (leather slightly damages edge).

 

[pdieten]

Based on recommendations on this site I picked up "The X Bay" strop on eBay. I just started using straights a few weeks ago, so I have nothing to compare it to, but the strop handles comfortably, the leather is smooth, the razor makes nice sword-unsheathing sounds while I'm using it, and I don't feel anything obviously wrong with my edges. And it was very inexpensive.

 

[rbscebu]

@SliceOfLife, interesting review and thank you for taking the time. If you have the inclination, another to try is this strop:

Chinese Generic 60mm (2-3/8") wide Dual Denim/Calf-hide Hanging Strop

A budget strop that gets the job done.

www.badgerandblade.com

I cut my first two of these up while learning my stropping technique. My third is still going strong and giving great results after a few hundred SR shaves.

They come fairly dry so I condition mine first with leather conditioner and rub it with the underside of my forearm before and after each use.

 

[SliceOfLife]

When is that shopping day in China (their black friday)? I might try and pick one up from AliX then, as I hear they have crazy sales. Looks like a much nicer leather than what I got. Are the pictures representative of what you received?


Also if anyone knows of a good example "Cheap" strop with barbers ends, I'm really partial to barber's ends and would love to try one.

 

[rbscebu]

When is that shopping day in China (their black friday)? I might try and pick one up from AliX then, as I hear they have crazy sales. Looks like a much nicer leather than what I got. Are the pictures representative of what you received?


Also if anyone knows of a good example "Cheap" strop with barbers ends, I'm really partial to barber's ends and would love to try one.

11/11 is THE shopping sales day in China (and a lot of other countries in E&SE Asia).

Mine were exactly like the picture. As for barber's ends, I've tried them (also from China) but prefer the ring type handles.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I snagged it for $6 shipped after a $2 new user coupon and 25% store sale. I expect it'll be a couple months, but I'll review when it gets here.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Picked up the Xbay too ($10.60 shipped). It says it'll be here by 9/1... but it is USPS first class, so we will see.

 

[SliceOfLife]

X bay arrived. Hardware is a big step up but still a big step down from a good strop.

It’s sort of suede... but not really... like a sanded down suede. There are creases on the lower 2” or so which will probably be a problem restricting it to 12” or so of useful length. Also a deep puncture on the backside that likely renders it useless... so one sided. Not sure what good the ragged material on the back was anyway. Maybe for pasting?

I’ll try it out tomorrow.

 

[alla2465]

Cheap strops are fine for learning how to strop, since as a beginner you will nick the strop. After someone feels comfortable stropping, I think moving onto a more expensive, high quality strop is a must. All you need is one good strop, so no reason to cheap out imo.
I would rather have 1 or 2 great strops, instead of 5-10 mediocre strops

 

[SliceOfLife]

Shave was not bad. I stropped ~60 on the front (vs 20/30 or so I would do on linen/shell). There was definitely a sense in the feel that it wasn't quite as sharp during the first pass of the shave (probably due to the strop being more of a suede than a shell finish)... but the closeness doesn't really indicate it was any less sharp. HHT was right up there with where it should have been as well.

And while the strop felt kind of cheap in the way that gold dollars used to (handle a bit fat, feels like it's stuffed with cardboard)... It didn't feel flimsy like the $3 strop did. I could pull it taut and it felt substantial in my hand. Also while the stitching looked pretty haphazard and sloppy... it does appear to be tight and heavy enough the strop won't fall apart. Also the usable space felt sufficient... not roomy like a big 27+" Strop, but I didn't feel like I was having to stop short every pass.

The feel/draw is not objectionable, but not good either. Strop is slightly cupped towards back (raised center), and feels like a strop someone "restored" and didn't sand quite fine enough... probably because it strides this weird space between a shell and suede surface... there is definitely not a lot of experience or care going into the finish on this leather... but what matters is that it works, and it does.

In all, for <$11 shipped, this is a steal and a usable beginner strop.

I would be concerned if the creases like mine has at the bottom were more towards the middle... so QC would definitely something to keep an eye out for... inspect the strop thoroughly on arrival.

And while it could be a daily strop for life if you're really trying to do a bottom-dollar setup... going up to a $40 to $100+ strop is a sizable quality of life improvement.

No question though that the extra $7.60 over the $3 strop is worth it.

I'll use this a few more times just to be sure it is consistent before switching back to my usual strops, and I'll update with the Chinese Generic when it arrives.


The X-bay is made in Pakistan for anyone curious, not China.

 

[SliceOfLife]

More details and pics:


Here it is next to my 2.5" wide Old No 2 (a premium strop in as close to this size as I've got)


The X-bay has ~1.5-2" less usable length, same width, leather thickness about the same.

Hardware and workmanship obviously a huge step down

Surface completely different, as mentioned... the x-bay is like a suede someone sanded down super-fine.

There are squiggles all over it that look like varicose veins... can't feel them, don't appear to impact anything.


Last picture is (left to right): X-bay front, X-bay back, Old No 2.

The front and back components are glued together... not two separate strops, and in my opinion the back component is useless and serves only to stiffen up the strop a bit.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Follow up with two more trials... Definitely still not 100% of what a better quality strop can do. Shave, especially during first pass is noticeably a step down. But it gets really close. Much better performance than the $3 strop, and still a quite good shave is possible. Under the scope the edge is definitely much less polished... resembles an unstropped edge more than one stropped on a shell strop. But that said, functionally much, much closer to the stropped edge. Reminds me of a palm-stropped edge in almost all respects, actually.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Follow up with two more trials... Definitely still not 100% of what a better quality strop can do. Shave, especially during first pass is noticeably a step down. But it gets really close. Much better performance than the $3 strop, and still a quite good shave is possible. Under the scope the edge is definitely much less polished... resembles an unstropped edge more than one stropped on a shell strop. But that said, functionally much, much closer to the stropped edge. Reminds me of a palm-stropped edge in almost all respects, actually.

Try stropping on the hair side. The smooth side. I don't much care for the suede finish on the flesh side. YMMV.

 

[SliceOfLife]

There is no hair side. There's a very sanded down suede-like side that was probably hair, but was sanded down so far it took on a suede-texture (this is the side stamped The X Bay... and what I've been using). The back side is a VERY rough flesh-side strop that is glued to this one.

The pictures in post #9 show both sides.

I'm going to have a couple shaves with this followed by a shell strop to see if maybe this can be used until a nicer shell is bought, then maybe used as a secondary component (like the Kanayama's have suede as the secondary). Basically testing if I can tell the difference between "X-Bay" to Shell vs Linen to Shell.

 

[Slash McCoy]

There is no hair side. There's a very sanded down suede-like side that was probably hair, but was sanded down so far it took on a suede-texture (this is the side stamped The X Bay... and what I've been using). The back side is a VERY rough flesh-side strop that is glued to this one.

The pictures in post #9 show both sides.

I'm going to have a couple shaves with this followed by a shell strop to see if maybe this can be used until a nicer shell is bought, then maybe used as a secondary component (like the Kanayama's have suede as the secondary). Basically testing if I can tell the difference between "X-Bay" to Shell vs Linen to Shell.

Oh that sounds awful! I won't be recommending his strops anymore. That is just WRONG. He was selling with a smooth hair side and I even have one hanging in my bathroom. (behind my big DIY buffalo, my favorite DIY compressed cowhide, a black cowhide I got from somewhere, and my Kanayama, that is.)

 

[SliceOfLife]

Have you conditioned yours at all? Got a picture of the surface?

I've never put mink oil on a suede strop, but I've restored dozens of vintages... some had been drying out for a century... others I had to sand down a mm or more to get past nicks and gouges. I've NEVER seen a strop drink mink oil like this one.

I put a half oz blob on it and hadn't applied to half the length of the strop before it was gone. All told I've worked about an oz into this and it's starting to look a little more like what I'd expect cowhide to look like. I'll give it a day or two and see if this changed it at all

 

[SliceOfLife]

The mink oil made the grain MUCH clearer. This leather is sanded to about 60-120 grit... Definitely needs more refinement.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Can't take pics today. But I will take one tomorrow. No, I haven't put anything on it except just a smear of beeswax. I really couldn't be bothered much, for an $8.88 strop.

 

[SliceOfLife]

So I sanded it to 2K (first picture, the crease on the left is the one I mentioned in my first post about this strop), which revealed that there were several flaws in the leather, small punctures and large swaths of raised areas that look like possibly water damage or some other defect I’m not familiar with.


I then went back over it with 600 grit to try to bring those down a bit and then spent 10 or 15 minutes hand rubbing the strop, paying special attention to the defect areas with more mink oil. I’ll let it sit for a day and then test it out. It definitely feels more like I expect a cowhide strop to feel now... but I’ve put an extra hour and maybe $10 in sandpaper and mink oil getting it here, so in my opinion it’s not really worth the savings if you’re planning on doing this modification. Last 3 pictures show the strop after I finished, with some close ups of the defect areas.