Strop performace, differences?
- Thread starter jj_sharp
- Start date
In the end any well made strops made with decent, usable leather (not cupped, not hard, not with raised bumps and flaws) will leave a good finished edge. The feedback to the user, both sensory as in the feedback while stropping and the enjoyment of ownership is all that really varies.
Some like heavy slow draw, some like light fast draws. Some like wide, some like narrow. Some get great enjoyment from vintage pieces, other look for high tech innovation. Horse, steer, boar, kangaroo, synthetic in the end will all work.
Some like heavy slow draw, some like light fast draws. Some like wide, some like narrow. Some get great enjoyment from vintage pieces, other look for high tech innovation. Horse, steer, boar, kangaroo, synthetic in the end will all work.
I don't think there is an enormous difference in the end but I do believe some work faster than others and some do bring the edge back a little better than others.
- Thread starter
- #5
I will echo what Tony has said as it is my general experience too.
That said I believe Dovo strops (now defunct?) used to add an abrasive to their Russian Red leather (Tony correct me if I'm wrong as you may know about this). It's the one with the canvas sowed together in a continuous loop with their Russian Red.
Those Dovo's are very nice to help an edge but I feel their benefit was maximized by being followed with clean linen followed by clean leather. Still use mine this way.
That's all I can remember.
Chris
That said I believe Dovo strops (now defunct?) used to add an abrasive to their Russian Red leather (Tony correct me if I'm wrong as you may know about this). It's the one with the canvas sowed together in a continuous loop with their Russian Red.
Those Dovo's are very nice to help an edge but I feel their benefit was maximized by being followed with clean linen followed by clean leather. Still use mine this way.
That's all I can remember.
Chris
What do you have?
Chris, I always wondered about the Dovo Russian. Supposedly the red coloring is caused by Birch oil used in the tanning process but on other "red" colored Russian strops that were very aggressive I can't help but think red jeweler's rouge was partly responsible. I suspect some of the 2 sided leather strops had one side treated with some sort of compound. There is another European made brand that is identical to the Dovo models but I cannot remember the name off hand.
If it's marked "wild juchten" then it's been treated with birch oil and is to be used as a regular strop. There are some paddles that come pre-pasted with the Solingen tube paste, either on balsa or their other leathers, but not the oiled one.
- Thread starter
- #10
Rupp Razor strop.
Tony, yeah, there is something definitely going on with those old Dovo strops.
I use mine nearly every shave. I start on it's linen (treated with, what many have suspected, a dry form of the Dovo white paste) with about 12 to 20 round trips then follow with the red leather for the same. I suspect the linen is not linen but maybe hemp or something else.
Here's where the water gets muddy. I then follow with at least 20 round trips each on the linen then leather of an old barber strop which I think is very unique.
That old strop is unique in my experience because the linen and leather seem to be treated with something, what I don't know. The linen may be treated with an early version of Dovo white and you can see it in the weave. The leather, branded "Master Barber" is dark, almost black and seems to be treated with something as well as I have another Master Barber strop that is not the same. The other Master Barber is red with no hint of darkness. Maybe a difference in tanning processes but who knows for sure.
They are both marked the same and both very slick with little draw. But I have noticed that the black strop will bring up an edge when the red one won't.
I have often wondered if the black strop was at some time treated, decades ago, with the old Dovo black crayon or a variation thereof. Who knows but I call it my magic strop. Works a treat to provide a fine shave.
Chris
I use mine nearly every shave. I start on it's linen (treated with, what many have suspected, a dry form of the Dovo white paste) with about 12 to 20 round trips then follow with the red leather for the same. I suspect the linen is not linen but maybe hemp or something else.
Here's where the water gets muddy. I then follow with at least 20 round trips each on the linen then leather of an old barber strop which I think is very unique.
That old strop is unique in my experience because the linen and leather seem to be treated with something, what I don't know. The linen may be treated with an early version of Dovo white and you can see it in the weave. The leather, branded "Master Barber" is dark, almost black and seems to be treated with something as well as I have another Master Barber strop that is not the same. The other Master Barber is red with no hint of darkness. Maybe a difference in tanning processes but who knows for sure.
They are both marked the same and both very slick with little draw. But I have noticed that the black strop will bring up an edge when the red one won't.
I have often wondered if the black strop was at some time treated, decades ago, with the old Dovo black crayon or a variation thereof. Who knows but I call it my magic strop. Works a treat to provide a fine shave.
Chris
