Liven up this forum

[ShavedZombie]

Okay, so, Here's some background for you (Short version, skip to paragraph 4):

I'm a straight razor only guy. The only time I've ever touched DEs was to buff them, or clean them, and then resell them. I've been into restoration and honing for a few months now, and I've been using straight razors for a year, maybe a bit more.

In that time, I've gotten the opportunity to study under some really great guys in the straight razor community. I'm not going to say my honing is perfect, or that my restorations rival the masters, but I'm commercial-grade good at both. I can produce almost full mirror finishes and hone to smooth shave-ness, even if I can't rival Seraphim, Lynn or the other "Greats".

However, my real passion, for some unknown reason, is strops! I love stropping, and I love strops. I have somewhere around 10-12 strops, a few I've made, most I've bought, and I still have one or two more in the mail, coming to me. Along with all the strops I've owned and experimented with, I've also had a chance to use other member's strops (Specifically Lynn, as he lived near me for a while) and I've gotten a very broad knowledge of all kinds of different leathers and stropping surfaces, Vintage and new production, from many of God's beasts. I've also spent a more-than-healthy amount of time reviving vintage strops, altering strop draw, etc, so I've got a few tricks up my sleeves. I've even located a Tandy leather near me, and plan on making a few runs of beginner strops to help out new members in a pinch.

All that being said (sorry for boring you ) I can't help but notice that the strop forum is, for the most part, a ghost town! I understand that B&B is mostly a DE forum, but, come on, guys! So, I wanted to throw my, albeit still young, experience into the ring. I've asked hundreds, maybe thousands, of stupid questions while I was learning. So, if you have any strop related questions (even ones you think are stupid or obvious); width, length, thickness, materials, hangers, handles, etc, Post them here! I want to help, and I want something to keep me occupied.

Fingers crossed that this post sounds like I'm trying to help, rather than be an egocentric jackass

Best Regards,
Jeremy

 

[TheVez2]

OK, I'll bite.

I'm in the process of making my first strop. I have all the raw materials: 2-1/2" wide cowhide, 2" wide cotton, 2" D rings, and chicago screws. My question is on the top D ring for attachment to the wall. What should the top hardware be? I've seen a lot that have swivel snaps, but lots have just a D ring. Does it matter? My D-rings are welded and I can't attach anythign to them. How should I attach them to the wall, just install a hook to put the D on?

 

[ShavedZombie]

Alright, thanks for getting things rolling!

I personally buy all of my hardware through Tony Miller (who is currently on hiatus until September 1st) as he includes the caps, Drings, and Swivel clips, or I make the caps and purchase D-rings and swivel snaps.

I have one strop with a plain D-ring top, and all the rest have swivel clips with O-rings. Generally I use the O-rings to hang them on hooks on the wall of my dorm. When I hang a strop to use, I clip a carabiner to the door handle, then clip the O-ring through the carabiner (or I tie the carabiner to the door handle so it's easier to clip/unclip). With that method, D-rings or swivel snap, it makes no difference, since the carabiner opens/closes.

However, if you want to get swivel snaps (or D-rings for that matter) I shop at http://www.buckleguy.com/ . Specifically the swivel snaps are here: http://www.buckleguy.com/categories.php?category=Swivel-Snaps

You can pick a style and color finish that you like best/fits the other components best. I then make endcaps like Tony Miller uses (hourglass shaped... If you want I can link a picture) or use Tony's endcaps, and voila.

So, it really comes down to how you hang it. If you have a carabiner or a zip-tie, a D-ring works fine (or even a string tied in a slipknot/bow), but if you want something easier to remove, go for one of those swivel clips.

Anything else?

 

[ShavedZombie]

For what it's worth, I'm quite partial to this style (if not this color... The color of the clip depends on the color of the strop)

http://www.buckleguy.com/products.php?product=3002A-1-1{47}2%22-Gold-Brushed%2C-Swivel-Trigger-Snap%2C-Solid-Brass

The Trigger snap works for me.

 

[Defend Tacoma]

I am a fan of Tony's strops- and hardware as well! I find that I have a bit of a thing for strops as well. I missed out on the strop I really want to get- a Tony Miller red latigo strop. If I were able to get the rest of the hardware from Tony at some point, any idea where I could find a strap of red latigo? I wasn't able to find it at Tandy, maybe I just was looking in the wrong spot though!

 

[TheVez2]

I've looked at those clips before. Not wide enough on the flat part for me. I get that you just bring the hourglass in to whatever width you need, but I prefer the wide look and prefer to not bring it in very far if I don't have to. I might just use something like this:

and attach the solid part to the wall, then use the snap to connect to my D.

 

[Lawson-Stone]

Here's a very nice item to hang a strop on. The ring is 2" and so you'd use a transitional leather to connect to the strop:


http://usalanyards.com/wide-push-latch-fashion-bolt-snap-hook-hm-g730.aspx

 

[TheVez2]

One more... how long do you recommend I make the draw portion of the strop?

 

[ShavedZombie]

I am a fan of Tony's strops- and hardware as well! I find that I have a bit of a thing for strops as well. I missed out on the strop I really want to get- a Tony Miller red latigo strop. If I were able to get the rest of the hardware from Tony at some point, any idea where I could find a strap of red latigo? I wasn't able to find it at Tandy, maybe I just was looking in the wrong spot though!

Tandy has them On line up to 2" wide. If you go to the store in person, you may be able to get them cut thicker (that's how I got a 2.5'' strip)

I've looked at those clips before. Not wide enough on the flat part for me. I get that you just bring the hourglass in to whatever width you need, but I prefer the wide look and prefer to not bring it in very far if I don't have to. I might just use something like this:

and attach the solid part to the wall, then use the snap to connect to my D.

If you need wider, check other belt-supply sites. If you can't find one, then, yeah, I'd say use the D-ring for both ends, and then mount a clip on the wall. A carabiner, or that clip from BuckleGuy.

 

[ShavedZombie]

Thank you very much, Lawson, that's a site I didn't even know about!

Vez: I personally like a 19-21 inch stropping surface. For a strop with barber's ends, maybe a bit less. All my D-ring and Handled strops were around 17 inches, when I upgraded to a 20 it felt so much better. So, that's the range I'd suggest.

 

[professorchaos]

For the cloth component, I like linen or canvas. Treating them with Dovo's white paste really does smooth out an edge. Yet I will not put it on any cloth component that isn't white - doesn't exactly go on evenly or smoothly.

Pressed wool felt does miraculous things to a freshly honed edge. As I don't use any sort of magnification to view an edge, I can't explain what it is. But the edge surely benefits.

For leather, Tony Miller's Latigo is my baseline. They are damn near perfect daily use, all around strops.

Horsehide is also quite nice. Produces a smooth edge but doesn't maintain it as well as Latigo.

Cordovan is an excellent mixture of draw, smoothness and edge maintenance.

As I got some experience under my belt, I found that I don't really like draw. So the SRD buffalo hide strop has had abrasives applied.

 

[Hair apparent]

I'm fascinated(and just a touch afeared) of straights. Love the look, but haven't tried a straight shave yet, though it is in my near future. The thought of making a practice strop appeals to me. Should be reasonably cheap, and if I nick it up , no major loss.

If I was to get a strip of leather from Tandy or equivalent, aside from hardware, is there anything that needs to be done to the leather to make it functional as a strop? Not expecting to create a work of art, but a reasonable working strop. Any reccomendations on what to look for in a piece of leather to make a strop from?

 

[ShavedZombie]

I'm fascinated(and just a touch afeared) of straights. Love the look, but haven't tried a straight shave yet, though it is in my near future. The thought of making a practice strop appeals to me. Should be reasonably cheap, and if I nick it up , no major loss.

If I was to get a strip of leather from Tandy or equivalent, aside from hardware, is there anything that needs to be done to the leather to make it functional as a strop? Not expecting to create a work of art, but a reasonable working strop. Any reccomendations on what to look for in a piece of leather to make a strop from?

You want as uniform of a piece as you can find (rub it with your palm, you want to not feel much deformity [the deformities would be from muscle, scar, bruises, etc]) and you should avoid fat-lines/streaks in the leather, creases, wrinkles, etc. Obvious stuff, really.

Otherwise, it's all pretty good since it's a beginner "nick 'er up"

 

[azmark]

I personally am a fan of plain ends with no rings. I've damaged more edges because I strop as close to the edge as possible, now since Ambrose made mine 2x24" I suppose I use about 23" of it. Now at least the edges are safe but my fingers aren't.

 

[ShavedZombie]

I love Jose's Classico length. 2.5 width is perfect, and the 23 inch length is excellent. I couldn't think of a better strop (unless maybe there were D-rings on it, but I'm going to give the plain end a chance first)

Cheers,
Jeremy

 

[azmark]

I love Jose's Classico length. 2.5 width is perfect, and the 23 inch length is excellent. I couldn't think of a better strop (unless maybe there were D-rings on it, but I'm going to give the plain end a chance first)

Cheers,
Jeremy

I'm sure you'll like it. Fold the end over between your index and middle finger and it helps grip it. I only use plain ends and find them more comfortable. But just be careful how close you get to your fingers.

 

[professorchaos]

I personally am a fan of plain ends with no rings. I've damaged more edges because I strop as close to the edge as possible, now since Ambrose made mine 2x24" I suppose I use about 23" of it. Now at least the edges are safe but my fingers aren't.

I prefer plain ends too. Some of my strops have handles, I don't use them.

 

[azmark]

Some of my strops have handles, I don't use them.

Uh oh, here come the barrage of pm's wanting to buy them

 

[johnmrson]

I quite like strops and stropping as well. I've got 5 strops at home. An Ambrose, a SRP, 2 vintage and a cheap first strop. The cheap strop is fixed to the table where I hone so I use it as part of the honing process. I then usually have one vintage and either the SRP or Ambrose in the shave den at any given time and just swap them over every week or so to even out the wear.

 

[dmcconnell]

OK, I'll bite.

I'm in the process of making my first strop. I have all the raw materials: 2-1/2" wide cowhide, 2" wide cotton, 2" D rings, and chicago screws. My question is on the top D ring for attachment to the wall. What should the top hardware be? I've seen a lot that have swivel snaps, but lots have just a D ring. Does it matter? My D-rings are welded and I can't attach anythign to them. How should I attach them to the wall, just install a hook to put the D on?

I use a 3/4" snap swivel (upside down) attached to a D-ring. You can then use the round part of the snap swivel on your stropping hook (or the leather lace on a doorknob in a pinch). Not as nice as a proper strop hanger, but pretty close: