Vegan strop

[Brewersmurf]

Hello everyone,

Here goes my first post.

I have been wet shaving DE for a few years and I have decided to take the plunge into straight razor shaving! Woohoo!

I am looking for a strop, and preferably one that is not made with animal products. Suggestions would be appreciated, or if someone wants to get rid of an old one, please pm me.

I am also open to DIY projects! I have heard balsa wood, newspaper or a firehose might work.

Also, hanging strop or board and why?

Thanking you all in advance.

Cheers

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[McBlade]

Cow & horse hide strops contain very fine abrasive silicates from the grass they eat. I think the abrasive grade is somewhere up around 60k? That's *very* fine. Most honing set-ups stop at 20k and under.

The finest lapping film & diamond/CBN pastes might have similar abrasive properties. Eg 0.03u lapping film. Or 0.1 diamond/CBN paste. It's hard to know anything for sure when you get to ultra-fine grits though.

Some time on a linen or canvas strop might help to pull a bent edge back into alignment. You may want to include that in the stropping routine.

I think you'll probably have to do some experimenting...

 

[rbscebu]

Welcome to the gentlemanly art of SR shaving.

Knowing your location would help. @Tony Miller makes and sells a good vegan strop.

https://heirloomrazorstrop.com/shop/ols/products/2-1-slash-2-artisan-premium-fast-bridle-old-no-2-strop

As for hanging or board strop, that is a personal preference. Most seem to prefer hanging, as I do. My reasons being that I prefer the normally extra length, it's easily stored (just hangs on the bathroom door knob) and I feel it gives me a better edge.

I also recommend that you get two strops (or at least a spare "leather" replacement). Tony can also help you with that so you save on shipping. As someone new to SR shaving, you WILL cut up your first strop while learning.

 

[Sinnbad11]

Etsy shop TomoNagura sells a pleather strop. It's called pleathasaurus Rex, I haven't tried it personally but all other strops I have tried from the shop have been high quality.

 

[ajduplessis]

Most vegans I know strop on balsa, jeans, linen, synthetic materials, palm or forearm. Pick you poison ...

 

[Brewersmurf]

Most vegans I know strop on balsa, jeans, linen, synthetic materials, palm or forearm. Pick you poison ...

Would I use compound with any of those choices?

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[Brewersmurf]

Welcome to the gentlemanly art of SR shaving.

Knowing your location would help. @Tony Miller makes and sells a good vegan strop.

https://heirloomrazorstrop.com/shop/ols/products/2-1-slash-2-artisan-premium-fast-bridle-old-no-2-strop

As for hanging or board strop, that is a personal preference. Most seem to prefer hanging, as I do. My reasons being that I prefer the normally extra length, it's easily stored (just hangs on the bathroom door knob) and I feel it gives me a better edge.

I also recommend that you get two strops (or at least a spare "leather" replacement). Tony can also help you with that so you save on shipping. As someone new to SR shaving, you WILL cut up your first strop while learning.

Thank you very much.
I am in Montreal Canada. I have already been in contact with Tony, the shipping is a killer. I'm looking for something else to practice on while I see if straight razor shaving doesn't kill me before I learn to do it properly [emoji2957].

I want to make sure that I stick with it before investing too much.

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[rbscebu]

Thank you very much.
I am in Montreal Canada. I have already been in contact with Tony, the shipping is a killer. I'm looking for something else to practice on while I see if straight razor shaving doesn't kill me before I learn to do it properly [emoji2957].

I want to make sure that I stick with it before investing too much.

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Here is a good beginner's strop that should be within your budget. I have been happily using one of these for months.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1394001338.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.bafa2440YjtpfV&browser_id=e921c744ff2348feb49d9659434bca90&aff_trace_key=&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=0011755acf8ca61f038bae61493f09b31836d26d32&gclid=&_imgsrc_=ae01.alicdn.com%2Fkf%2FHTB1qDAmlHwTMeJjSszfq6xbtFXaO.jpg_640x640Q90.jpg

It is reviewed here:

Chinese Generic 60mm (2-3/8") wide Dual Denim/Calf-hide Hanging Strop

A budget strop that gets the job done.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[ajduplessis]

Would I use compound with any of those choices?

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Balsa, denim and linen can get pastes, I would assume the synthetic too, palm obviously not a great choice.

 

[sarimento1]

have you tried stropping on newspaper??
i did it for quite a while and it works!

 

[Blackland Razors]

Portland Razor Co makes one:

Portland Razor Co. // straight razors and strops handmade in Portland, OR. — DISCONTINUED: MATERIAL NO LONGER AVAILABLE. Deluxe Synthetic Felt Straight Razor Strop

Finally: a vegan, zero-waste strop that works! Our Deluxe Vegan Felt Straight Razor Strop features a 3-inch wide, 16-inch long stropping surface made from 4mm synthetic designer felt perfect for aligning your razor’s microscopic edge and prepping it for shaving. This new material is made from a 70

www.portlandrazorco.com

No experience with it, but these guys know their straights so I'd feel comfortable buying it were I in the market.

 

[RussellR5555]

I started with Newspaper and that was great , I just got one of Tony Millers beautiful Vegan strops and it is definitely a beautiful strop and a cut above everything i have used before.

 

[member 119848]

Great thread! That´s exsactly the subject I need to figure out before buying my first straight razor.
I am thinking of experimenting with cork (glued on a board).