noob questions: 2" vs 3" the value of X-strokes, linen and felt

[Galhatz]

Hi,

Soon I will embark upon the straight razor journey.
A good friend of mine is piffing me a razor. Now I need to come up with a strop.
He recommneded against a 3" strop because he thinks it's easy to get the blade caught in them.
I read hear and there some favor of the 2" strops also because then you learn how to use X strokes better.

on the other hand, reading on the superior shave, Jarrod seems to be in favor of 3" strops.

So why are X-strokes are so important?
From my understanding, even a great X stroke would give more stropping to the center of the blade on the expense of the side, simply because the center is always in contact with the stropping surface. and the edges do get some "air time".

Now I need to choose one. If I got with 2" the whipped dogs Poor Mans is popular. I just read a post in favor of the Big Daddy and i got the sense that the latigo leather is better stropping material.

Also, my space in my bathroom is limited and I am hesitant to mount a strop on the towel rod (I have a good reason to suspect that a good tug is all that would take to get it off the wall, long story). So I was considering starshaving's paddle strops - and there is also a cheaper laptop version so I could get that or even both....

Not to mention my old geans - can I just donate the denim, wrap i around a straight board and use that for stropping, or at least pre strop clean up?
do I *must* get a felt or a synthetic fabric to "clean and heat up" the razor? does the felt in starshaving strop fill that purpose or is it there for me to later spray it?

I am a beginner, on one hand I don't want to commit too much money in case it doesn't work out, on the other hand, for it to work out, I better keep the edge on best shape, so why not get the strop that would get me that perfect edge without too many challenges to boot?

Someone also mentioned stropping on a newspaper - is that going to align the edge as well as leather strop.. or well enough?

too many options. I have about a week until my friends TI comes back from honing ....

 

[Chico]

Just for the sake of keeping your shaving gear optimal, first go with a cheaper strop. If you go for the poor mans strop, you can learn on it. And it is a good strop still. You are bound to make some nicks on your first strop, I think. That strop will be usable for at least 6 months, if you think money wise. Then you can trade up and keep the poor mans for travelling purpose for example.
Some prefer the linnen side, some not. For warm up on the poor mans strop, you can use your palms. And it will get naturally oiled in time

 

[Pete_T]

2 or 3 are both fine. I'd also say go with the cheaper option.

An x stroke makes sure you get good blade coverage.

If you want you can just set a small hook in a bathroom door and hang the strop from that. Door handles work fine, too.

Denim makes a good linen strop, I used a homemade denim strop for quite a while. You need to make sure that the edges are clean and don't unravel, though.

 

[Galhatz]

I am thinking of wrapping the denim around a piece of woord like a laptop strop.

The poor man strop doesn't have a buckle or a handle, what keeps it straight when pulled?

 

[smalltank]

3" makes stropping easier than X strokes...but you could get both and see which you prefer

 

[Marco]

I think this is a very personal thing and it's all up to your liking. Actually both 2" and 3" strops do work.

 

[Wid]

Never tried a 2" but do have 2.5 and 3" and I personally like the 2.5 more.

 

[TheLegalRazor]

Either a 2 or 3" will get the job done equally well. I found it easier to learn on a 3" because you can concentrate on just going out and back without having to move your blade diagonally at each end of the strop. Do get an inexpensive strop because you will likely do serious damage to your first strop. The Big Daddy is a very good value. Besides the Big Daddy, Star Shaving has inexpensive bench strops with leather or felt. Although bench strops work fine, I think many of us are drawn to the classic hanging strop. There are also numerous ways to hang your steep besides a bathroom towel rack.

 

[erictski]

I started on a 2" went to a 3" back to a 2" and finally settled on 2.5"

2" forces you to learn x-strokes. I don't believe its a necessary skill or needed thing to successfully strop a razor.

I like the 3" as it is easy to go up and down, but I found happiness with the 2.5" in between ...works best for my stropping technique.

I dont think you can go wrong though with a 3". Hear some good things about the big daddy from star shaving and it is an exceptionally good deal if the leather is good.

even the SRD 3" natural or red latigo strops are not a bad deal. If you look at what you get from SRD...you get the Red latigo with the fabric component for $60 with the Dring handles. now in 6 months or a year if you have torn it up, all you need to do is buy the replacement leathers for a 3", and you can get the latigo again or try another leather like the premium I,II,III,IV or Roo. Really not a bad way to go.

I do not work for or endorse SRD, simply showing the options out there for a modularly constructed strop. I personally dont even have a SRD strop although i have in the past...good strop but they dont make one in 2.5" like i prefer.

Good luck

 

[Galhatz]

That was my hunch, thank you for the detailed answer!

I started on a 2" went to a 3" back to a 2" and finally settled on 2.5"

2" forces you to learn x-strokes. I don't believe its a necessary skill or needed thing to successfully strop a razor.

I like the 3" as it is easy to go up and down, but I found happiness with the 2.5" in between ...works best for my stropping technique.

I dont think you can go wrong though with a 3". Hear some good things about the big daddy from star shaving and it is an exceptionally good deal if the leather is good.

even the SRD 3" natural or red latigo strops are not a bad deal. If you look at what you get from SRD...you get the Red latigo with the fabric component for $60 with the Dring handles. now in 6 months or a year if you have torn it up, all you need to do is buy the replacement leathers for a 3", and you can get the latigo again or try another leather like the premium I,II,III,IV or Roo. Really not a bad way to go.

I do not work for or endorse SRD, simply showing the options out there for a modularly constructed strop. I personally dont even have a SRD strop although i have in the past...good strop but they dont make one in 2.5" like i prefer.

Good luck