Strop thickness

[HVenture138]

Hello All

Can anyone illuminate for me the performance
benefits/drawbacks (excluding durability) relative to thickness versus thinness of stropping leather? That is my macro question.

Now for my micro question.
Do the thick Kanoyama strops perform any differently from the thin one?

 

[KW Driver]

I have a Kanayama #3 that’s my thickest. My Tony Miller Travel strop is my thinnest. They all work well when made well. Thickness isn’t a huge factor in my opinion. The leather itself, and how it’s made matters more I think, because as much as anything that affects draw and feel.

 

[stone and strop]

Hello All

Can anyone illuminate for me the performance
benefits/drawbacks (excluding durability) relative to thickness versus thinness of stropping leather? That is my macro question.

Now for my micro question.
Do the thick Kanoyama strops perform any differently from the thin one?

My 30k has a lot more draw than my 70k. Both gorgeous strops and incredibly durable.

 

[Tony Miller]

In my opinion thick leather feels nicer to the user in hand, it just has a heft to it that feels like quality. That said it is suppleness or firmness than affects how it feels to actually use. A thin stiff strop will not be fun to use nor will a thick stiff strop. Thickness, flex and surface quality are three completely separate traits. Some leathers simply are not available in thick cuts....cordovan, oil tanned horsehide and kangaroo are three examples. usually 5oz weight or less but all three are pretty much premium leathers.

Edge treatment will affect the illusion of thickness too. I edge bevel all my thick leather which give the appearance of being thinner than it actually measures as the edges taper down thinner than the middle.

Thin strops can be more easily damaged by cuts and nicks as even a small nick represents a larger percentage of the total strop thickness than if it had happened on a thick strop.

For a reference point my Steerdovan and Premium Steerhide and Fast Bridle were usually 8 or 9oz. leather, Veg tanned horsehide 7oz. to 9oz. and my Notovan is 5oz. tapering down to 4oz. at times