Oh, thats interesting. so flax is usually farmed in Ukraine? Probably means it will not be available for some time.
Pro's/Cons of a 3 Inch Strop vs 2.5" ?
- Thread starter duke762
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rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Or one of the 18 other countries in the world currently experiencing a war on their lands.
Yes... But having researched it since Tony's post, probably Ukraine.
Another issue I read about, seperate to the war, a number of Ukrainian flax mills have retooled in recent years to manufacture hemp, which I assume must be easier or more profitable to make. The days of real linen strops might be numbered.
Hanging strops: I have four Tony Miller 3" strops, one Kanayama 2 1/2", and a bunch of vintage 2 1/2". I would cheerfully defy anyone, myself included, to find a difference in the shaving qualities of a razor, based on the width of strop used.
I believe the hide, its treatment, and stropping technique are much more significant variables. And bad technique is the worst issue by a huge margin. Rolled edge anyone?
Maybe in another X years my 3" strops will cup. I pull my strops as taut as I can, as vertical as I can. No cupping to date. If I have an irreparable cupping issue with a strop I like, I'll probably affix it to a board and have a bench strop that is flatter than any hanging strop can ever be, with its inevitable catenary. And I probably won't notice much difference.
If I had to reduce to a single strop, it would be my Heirloom 3" linen/smooth horse hide. That is my fad.
I believe the hide, its treatment, and stropping technique are much more significant variables. And bad technique is the worst issue by a huge margin. Rolled edge anyone?
Maybe in another X years my 3" strops will cup. I pull my strops as taut as I can, as vertical as I can. No cupping to date. If I have an irreparable cupping issue with a strop I like, I'll probably affix it to a board and have a bench strop that is flatter than any hanging strop can ever be, with its inevitable catenary. And I probably won't notice much difference.
If I had to reduce to a single strop, it would be my Heirloom 3" linen/smooth horse hide. That is my fad.
Both will do the same job, so whatever you pick will be fine.
3” will be easier to learn as it’s just straight up and down whereas the 2.5” will require x strokes
3” will be easier to learn as it’s just straight up and down whereas the 2.5” will require x strokes
I must add... a 2 1/2 inch strop does not require much of an X stroke. I would not let that be the deciding factor.
2.5" just naturally fits the angle I hold the blade naturally. I was never comfortable using that extra half inch on a three inch strop. I use a three inch strop for knives though.
The mill that supplies me did allude to Ukraine without actually saying as much. They had stopped making the webbing before the war as the fiber was still not easy to obtain. On their previous stoppage it was over 3 years till they resumed and there was not even a war then.
I bought the last roll I could find about a year ago and over double the usual retail price and even then the seller though he was cutting me a good deal
When this is gone I have no idea when I will have it again.
Just hope we don't start another war where the horses live. Can't do without horse hide.
France and Belgium are big linen producers.
Apparently China is the #1, but I guess that is the same as most things these days. There are different types of linen fabric, though, and I'm not certain which one is most related to our use. I guess the loosely woven stuff.
I think the tubular webbing stuff I use was intended for saddlery? Maybe girth straps or something.
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I suppose that's why Scrupleworks seems to have no trouble sourcing 2 1/2" linen.
I remember corresponding with the late Neil Miller about linen. He was only able to find 2 1/2" in the UK and I was only able to get 3" from my USA supplier. I was later able to import 3" myself directly from the UK but have not been able to find a new supply after buying the last, way over priced roll from my old supplier when the closed business.
Luckily Horween still seems ab le to source it but the quality varies greatly. Some batches are only suited to Plain or Roughout strops, others are good enough to be my Artisans. Many times the butts are way narrower than usual reducing the yield greatly, or come stained and are completely unusable.
Of course they seem to get more expensive every time I order. Even my cotton webbing has almost doubled in cost in one single jump.
Have you tried Etsy? I saw some linen webbing for sale there, though I haven't bought any, so can't speak to the quality or price. Etsy usually isn't a cheap option.
Well Tony, I'm still loving mine. Great. strop!
As I recall it is an odd size, something like 2 3/4" wide and everything I have designed, templates, dies, etc... are made for 2 1/2" or 3" and not really economically feasible to redesign and retool at this point as I don't feel the hobby has the momentum it once did.
I'm in no way trying to be argumentative...
Do you really feel that we're on the downside of the curve? Fewer new gents getting on board?
BTW, another question for you..
I don't know if you recall, but I have one of your Latigo strops from ohhhh, perhaps 15 years ago. The draw was far too heavy for me then.. Now, I could probably deal with it. But, I just found a oil tanned horsehide strop in the closet, from another maker in Europe.. Unused until yesterday. It felt very much like your old Latigo..
Comment?
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
I’m not sure that this is true, as evidenced by the price of nice vintage razors - they’re sky high.
The problem with strops is that they last a long time if you don’t cut one. It’s understandable that TM may see decreasing activity because most of the existing ‘pool’, including me, has one or more. So after a while you’re selling to the new guys, which isn’t bad, but it isn’t a river either.
My advice is to change your name and start marketing a slightly different strop. Then the ‘pool’ will have to have the new guy strop, or several of them! Yuk yuk.
If you look at vintage strops, most were narrow. Illinois Strop Works (now owned by Fromm) still makes strops that are 2" and 2 1/4" wide, but most of theirs are 2 1/2". Herold of Soloingen even has a mini-strop that is 1 3/4 wide by 13" long.
As Tony Miller noted above, a most strops today are ordered at 3" width. The typical straight razor blade is approximately 2 3/4" long, although I do have one that is a full 3". When using a strop that is smaller in width than the blade is long, you have to be careful with your stropping strokes to insure that the heal and toe of the blade get a similar amount of contact with the leather as the center portion of the blade. With a 3" wide strop, insuring even contact is much easier. I have several strops; all are 3" width. If you want one that is 2 1/2" wide, have at it. With a little care, it can jet the job done.
As Tony Miller noted above, a most strops today are ordered at 3" width. The typical straight razor blade is approximately 2 3/4" long, although I do have one that is a full 3". When using a strop that is smaller in width than the blade is long, you have to be careful with your stropping strokes to insure that the heal and toe of the blade get a similar amount of contact with the leather as the center portion of the blade. With a 3" wide strop, insuring even contact is much easier. I have several strops; all are 3" width. If you want one that is 2 1/2" wide, have at it. With a little care, it can jet the job done.
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