Filly Strop - A Nice Little Piece!

[OldSchoolYoungin]

A nice little surprise waited for me in my mailbox the other day: A late Christmas present from my mother. I immediately recognized the name on the return address as being that of RupRazor. Knowing it was something shave related, I wasted no time tearing it apart

Bless her heart, she didn't know I had other strops, but a pretty piece of high-quality cowhide was now in my possession: The Filly Strop.

For a while now, I've always recommended the Filly, mainly due to it being so highly recommended by others. It was only now that I could see for myself why; it's a nice little strop!

Let me start by saying that, after I looked at the website, this piece is a mere $20 including shipping. Are you kidding me? That's an awesome value for the beginner, as well as anyone more experienced that's just looking for a travel strop or something to paste on.

I've been using the heck out of this thing the past few days, and let me tell you, there isn't a thing wrong with it. It's as utilitarian as it is effective; the back being pasted with CroOx being the real kicker here. The smooth side has been sueded which makes for a nice medium draw; just the kind I like.

All that said, I whole-heartedly recommend this piece to anyone starting out. Hell, I'll go as far as to recommend it to anyone at all. You can't beat the price and it does the job very well. For a measly $20 shipped, you just can't go wrong. You can barely make your own for that money. The fact that it's pasted on the rough side is a double bargain for a newbie; they won't have to touch a hone for a while or worry about buying CroOx separately.

The only thing, and I mean only thing that I'd suggest (are you listening, Ken? ), is to consider making an inexpensive cloth component to go along with it in the future. I know not everyone uses it, but a lot of us consider it an essential part of the edge realignment process.

Otherwise, you've set the bar for inexpensive strops, Ken

 

[richmondesi]

Yeah, excellent post. I've been using one that is being PIFed to a new straight razor user... That's a quality strop

 

[bandit82ta]

I just received mine and a golden dollar today. It's warming up now as the cold eastern snows have the metal a little cold.....

It really feels like a quailty product and you truly can't beat the value. If I am to stick with straight shaving it is very likely I'll add a TM to my arsenal but this will def stick in there and at least for travel.

 

[opliko]

Didn't want to start a new thread but I ordered my Filly on the 6th and it still hasn't even been marked as shipped yet. I've already sent Ken an email inquiry with no reply, so I'm wondering if it always takes a very long time? I also ordered a puck from PC in I think October, and still not shipped. I'm just impatient once I've been charged for something for it to ship.

 

[bandit82ta]

all good things take time, however I'm not sure what your question is....

 

[Bertilak]

I was a slow learner with stropping and really beat the crap out of my Filly but even after I started using a fancier strop the pasted side of the Filly still got occasional use for quite a few months before Strop AD bit me bad. I certainly go more than my $20 out of that strop!

 

[Tony Miller]

I think Ken has a real winner here with the Filly. I know from experience it would be hard to offer a comparable piece at that price.

It is good to have an inexpensive piece of quality gear to get new guys into straight razor shaving.

Tony

 

[Amer]

Didn't want to start a new thread but I ordered my Filly on the 6th and it still hasn't even been marked as shipped yet. I've already sent Ken an email inquiry with no reply, so I'm wondering if it always takes a very long time?

I ordered mine on 12/31 and I just got it yesterday. Ken had sent me an email on the 8th (without any inquiry on my part) to tell me that he had just received his shipments from his suppliers and was working furiously to get things out. I think he probably got bombarded by Christmas shoppers and is recovering.

Here's a question. The CrOx on the back is just one green strip on the upper part of the strop. Is this correct? I thought from previous pictures of other strops it would be over the entire back side. Should I be trying to rub this in all over the back or is it supposed to be this way?

 

[eto]

I think Ken has a real winner here with the Filly. I know from experience it would be hard to offer a comparable piece at that price.

It is good to have an inexpensive piece of quality gear to get new guys into straight razor shaving.

Tony

My Filly should be coming soon, I do have yours Tony and have used it and its been great, Still need some more stropping experience to take full advantage of yours . This might freak some people out but I cant help myself from smelling the TM leather everyday. Its just that good.

Cheers

 

[Jooky]

Here's a question. The CrOx on the back is just one green strip on the upper part of the strop. Is this correct? I thought from previous pictures of other strops it would be over the entire back side. Should I be trying to rub this in all over the back or is it supposed to be this way?

I am not expert, but from what I have seen Ken and others say, this is more than enough CrOx for touching up the edge. Since you are stropping it in an X pattern anyway, the entire blade edge will go through the CrOx and it will do the job it is supposed to do.

If I am incorrect on this, I am sure someone will let me know.

 

[Bertilak]

Here's a question. The CrOx on the back is just one green strip on the upper part of the strop. Is this correct? I thought from previous pictures of other strops it would be over the entire back side. Should I be trying to rub this in all over the back or is it supposed to be this way?

That's how mine came. Strop in an X pattern.

 

[Amer]

Thanks for the confirmation. I've not had to touch up yet, but I've been Xing it up anyway on the normal side so I'll make sure to continue it on the back.

 

[NavyShave]

ken intentionally makes his practice strop 2'' wide so you are forced to develop the X pattern. he talks about it on a youtube video about stropping. i assume that is the logic in the small Crox stripe...that and that the stripe is probably the width of the paintbrush or Crox crayon that he uses! i have the filly...great product...unfortunately I have nicked the crap out of it when learning to strop...then agin, that's the purpose of the filly!

 

[FiXXXer]

I haven't been at the straight razor game for very long, but I feel like I've already gotten my money's worth on the Filly strop. In addition to being a very nice strop to learn on, it's also given me a better idea of what to look for in future strop purchases. I had been thinking of getting a 3" TM with D-rings and handles, but now I'm leaning more toward a 2.5" with just D-rings.

 

[davecmu]

I use my Filly every time I use a straight razor. It was PIF'd to me by a friend, and it's been the perfect piece to learn on. It just does everything right, and it's hard to justify getting anything else.

That having been said...

I think Ken has a real winner here with the Filly. I know from experience it would be hard to offer a comparable piece at that price.

It is good to have an inexpensive piece of quality gear to get new guys into straight razor shaving.

Tony

That kind of camaraderie, with one of the premier strop makers in the world coming here to say good things about another man's product, is what I love about this place, and is why my next strop will be coming from Mr. Miller's shop. You're a gentleman and an artisan, sir!

 

[Not4you]

my Filly has pretty much been cut to shreads but it has helped me learn valuable stropping lessons through practice and experience. It was PIF'd to me from a fellow B&B'er when I bought my first straight. I need a new strop given the condition my Filly is in but I'm leaning toward just getting another now that I'm used to it.