Are there any good strops from Amazon to buy in the $30 range?
Cheers!
Cheers!
Strops from Amazon
- Thread starter Levue
- Start date
Solingen strops (particularly loom strops) can be found for that price.
Forget about Amazon. Get a "plain" Tony Miller/Heirloom Razor Strop. They're $50 with a cotton component, and $30 for just the leather without the cotton component. You won't find anything comparable in quality on Amazon in that price range, and you'll be supporting a USA artisan who crafts each strop by hand.
Cannot go wrong with anything Tony Miller has to offer, a true Craftsman.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Go with what you have reason to believe will satisfy you, not what might satisfy you. TM is a good bet. There are others, too. But make sure it is made and sold by verifiable good guys who are vouched for on the various shaving forums. You can go a lot cheaper and get something that will work. Will you be satisfied with it? Maybe. I have often recommended the 2-1/2" wide strop sold by ebay seller "theexbay" which is about as cheap as you can go and still have something usable. It is a BEGINNER strop, for LEARNING and MAKING YOUR MISTAKES on, not a strop to keep and use for years or decades. There is expendable, and there are keepers. Don't confuse the two. For the materials and workmanship, TM strops are a pretty good deal. Want to really go first class? You can pay a few hundred bucks for a super nice one made from horse shell cordovan. You can find cowhide strops for the poor working man for $30 or so. Where is your head at? There may well be some good strops on Amazon. And cheap, too. Roll the dice if you want. But your chances of satisfaction are much better when you buy from a vendor and maker known in the community.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
I think TM makes a practice strop in that range, which is exactly what you need starting out.
- Thread starter
- #9
Some excellent advice! ..and I thank you all for that..
but this is going to be my 1st strop and I don't feel comfortable investing too much yet
but this is going to be my 1st strop and I don't feel comfortable investing too much yet
@Slash McCoy mentioned an eBay seller that goes by theexbay he is your absolute bottom line bet for purchasing a first time strop. $10 for a good quality 2.5" width single-sided strop.
If you want something a little better (more expensive) whippeddog.com sells multiple strop options that can fill your starting needs. Ranging from 16-23USD for the "poor man's strop". Many on here have recommended or used one.
IMHO as many have mentioned before, I would bite the bullet and go with a TM. Even his $50 strop is a fantastic tool that will last you a lifetime. You'll be glad you did and probably never need another one if you take good care of it.
Mr. Miller makes a top-drawer strop. I have the plain chocolate 3", which will cost you ~$60, with shipping. It's a fine strop that will last well and is great to use.
To answer the OP's question: The only other US made strop I know that's in the $30 price range is the Fromm/Illinois brand. I have had an Illinois 827 for ten years now; perfectly serviceable, if not inspiring. The 827 is rough, Russian leather. It's a split, meaning not the top grain but the middle of the leather. Not a bad strop and for me has worked well. It was my first decent strop that wasn't homemade.
The Illinois 127 at 2.5" x 23" is the smooth leather version and isn't a bad strop at all for the price and was about $37 on Amazon this morning. It might be a good choice for you. I would stay away from the Chinese cheaper stuff, unless you get a specific recommendation from an experienced user.
@Slash McCoy referenced an eBay strop, but I don't have experience with that one, but his recommendations are always good.
To answer the OP's question: The only other US made strop I know that's in the $30 price range is the Fromm/Illinois brand. I have had an Illinois 827 for ten years now; perfectly serviceable, if not inspiring. The 827 is rough, Russian leather. It's a split, meaning not the top grain but the middle of the leather. Not a bad strop and for me has worked well. It was my first decent strop that wasn't homemade.
The Illinois 127 at 2.5" x 23" is the smooth leather version and isn't a bad strop at all for the price and was about $37 on Amazon this morning. It might be a good choice for you. I would stay away from the Chinese cheaper stuff, unless you get a specific recommendation from an experienced user.
@Slash McCoy referenced an eBay strop, but I don't have experience with that one, but his recommendations are always good.
- Thread starter
- #12
I think whippedog is the best alternative at the moment.
Mr.Miller charges $54 shipping to EU (sorry I didn't specify I'm on the other side of the ocean).
Mr.Miller charges $54 shipping to EU (sorry I didn't specify I'm on the other side of the ocean).
Well, the US Postal Service charges that amount, not me
I simply collect it and pass it on to them and that is the exact costs they charge me to ship. Just wanted to be clear on that.I wish there was another option and some use their own mail forwarder, grouping several purchases together to save funds.
- Thread starter
- #14
@TonyMiller
Of course, I wasn't implying anything else!
It would be great to have a European distributor.
Of course, I wasn't implying anything else!
It would be great to have a European distributor.
@Tony Miller ... which is the reason why in the end I did not place an order, although I'd love to, as your strops constantly get the praise in these forums. However, paying DOUBLE to have it shipped to EU is a deal-breaker, unfortunately.Well, the US Postal Service charges that amount, not me
I wish there was another option and some use their own mail forwarder, grouping several purchases together to save funds.
Perhaps, it would make sense to have a European distributor...?
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Chinese Generic 60mm (2-3/8") wide Dual Denim/Calf-hide Hanging Strop
A budget strop that gets the job done.
www.badgerandblade.com
- Thread starter
- #17
Exploring various alternatives, I'm probably going to buy a strip of cowhide/horsehide leather and make a strop DIY.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Not a bad idea. Big D rings are hard to find online, though. If you are close to a saddle and tack shop they will have them, if overpriced. And you need a half dozen Chicago screws. Be sure to get your leather strip about 12" longer than your desired stroppable length, so you can get your bolster pieces from the same piece, and for the overlap that will be between the folded bolsters. I cut mine 5" long if I am working with 8oz to 10oz veg tanned cowhide. For heavier, stiffer leather I go 6" and for very thin and pliable stuff I sometimes go 4-3/4" or so. If you don't have a punch set, you can clamp the leather between two pieces of wood and drill through. Keep the speed very high and run it in and out a few times to help clean up the hole. The Chicago screws will hide any very minor raggedness. Veg tanned cowhide can be treated with a number of different things. I usually use neats foot oil with about 2% linseed oil and beeswax. Be careful heating this stuff, linseed oil surprisingly flammable. I have used rendered and carefully strained and settled beef tallow. Less is more. You can always treat it again. Go a few days at least between applications because it migrates through the leather.
I like to soak cowhide for a few days, and rub with a bottle and a lot of pressure. This compacts the surface of the leather. A few sessions as the leather dries will do wonders. When it is nearly dry is when you want to apply the first oil treatment, before the edges begin to curl up. Keep rubbing. When all water has completely dried away, start hand rubbing with a few drops of your treatment brew of choice in your hand. A brisk 5 minute session, enough to get the leather nice and warm, every day for a couple of weeks works nicely. If the leather ends up too stiff, you can clamp a screwdriver into your bench vise and break the leather over it. The bigger the screwdriver, the better. I don't routinely do this but I do run a screwdriver up and down the fully assembled strop for a few minutes before a final hand rubbing session with a bit of beeswax.
It is amazing what kind of finish you can put on ordinary cowhide. But honestly if it is just nice and smooth and flat, it is going to work, most likely. Just about any proper strop works about as good as the next. The difference is how it feels to you and how smoothly the razor runs up and down the strop, how resilient, how tacky or slippery, etc. And how it looks. A great looking and feeling strop I think inspires the user to better effort.
Anyway it is possible for you to make your first strop and have it come out with quality competitive to mid-range commercial offerings. Take your time. Don't over-oil. Use decent hardware. Rub rub rub.
- Thread starter
- #19
Thank you @Slash McCoy !
I learn a lot from your comments in other threads as well.
I learn a lot from your comments in other threads as well.
This seems solid for the price and delivery is merely €6. I think I'll order this one.
Profi Rasiermesser Streichriemen Abziehleder Leder Leinen mit Solingen Paste: Amazon.de: Drogerie & Körperpflege
Profi Rasiermesser Streichriemen Abziehleder Leder Leinen mit Solingen Paste bei Amazon.de | Günstiger Preis | Kostenloser Versand ab 29€ für ausgewählte Artikel
www.amazon.de
