Your Favorite / Best Strop

[A_Shaves_91]

Hey Gents,

Hope you are all well! I’m curious to hear about what your favorite / most coveted strop is (many of us have many more than one so multiple is great). To narrow down, which have you found your most favorable results from / experience with (technique of course aside)?

 

[A_Shaves_91]

I’ve enjoyed using my Black Latigo (3”) w/ canvas from RE. It’s a relatively stiff piece of leather which gives it a fast draw and lots of audible feedback.

I’ve heard great things about Mr. Tony Miller’s strops and their quality. I look forward to hearing what insights the group has to add here. Thanks.

 

[Kyle89]

Would grab my TM Steerhide in a fire.

 

[Legion]

I use a 3" kangaroo leather strop I made myself, which has linen backing. It's pretty much the only strop I've used for years, other than a rollable kangaroo travel strop when I go away from home.

 

[A_Shaves_91]

Calling a few regulars / pros here for some more live action strop convo!

@Wid, @Eshebert, @Frank Shaves, @Gamma, @haggis, @Koop, @JPO, @silverlifter, @Darth Scandalous, @Antique Hoosier, @Seelector @Shaun asleep, @sanookd, @H Brad Boonshaft

 

[Wid]

I really don’t have a favorite but most of these are Tony Miller strops of different pedigrees. A couple Dawid Saczuck, very nice too

A firehose from Keith and a vintage to round them out.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I have two (2) 3-inch Tony Miller strops:

1. Horween Veg Tanned Horsehide Plain Vanilla
2. Roughout Horween Veg Tanned Horsehide

I use the roughout the most. Seems to work the best on my near wedge / quarter hollow razors.

I also have Kanayama 10000 and 30000 strops, one of which is still sitting in its box unused. I only use the Kanayama when I am wide, wide awake.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I have three leather strops and I use them all regularly. Two of Tony's: a roughout horsehide and a smooth horsehide (although it has a micro nap to it which is very engaging). That one has a flax linen secondary that is very nice. The other is a piece of steerhide that I worked myself. Not flashy but very effective. I like all three, it would be hard to pick a favorite. I have one of Keith's linen firehose strops and that gets used every day, every razor. If I could only keep one I'd keep the firehose and palm strop to finish, if it came down to it.

 

[TSENG]

Horween Shell Cordovan scraps DIY cut into Strops,
If there are scratches, they will disappear after the scratch treatment procedure.

 

[haggis]

My current favorites seem to be a couple of Kanayamas and a Tony Miller Horween veg tanned horsehide. I've tried a few others but am addicted to the soft supple quickness (and feedback) of the Llamas and the velvety quickness of of the TM.

Each day I strop tomorrow's razor a few laps on some Tony Miller flax and then a bit more on a Kanayama 30000. For certain razors, often heavier grinds, I do sometimes prefer the TM.

Post-shave I strop on the suede component of the K30K and set the razor aside overnight. Then I take yesterday's razor and strop it on the flax for a bit and then a bunch more on a Kanayama 10000 before putting it away.

I sometimes use a scrupleworks horse and I like it but it's stiff and unforgiving so far, probably from underuse. I keep a spare K50K and K80k for future use.

 

[A_Shaves_91]

Awesome stuff and good to get a sense of what’s in heavy use / circulation. Based on the overwhelming feedback here, it would seems that Mr. Miller strop is in the horizon for me! Appreciate the insights.

 

[Koop]

Alright, I was hesitant to enter this thread, but here goes. I use more than one strop almost daily, but if I had to pick one - it would be my Duke City horsehide. But wait, I also couldn't live without the Duke City buffalo. I should have just said I can't have one favorite.

 

[Ravenonrock]

Rich Man Strop from Whipped Dog is in use most days. I also made a black latigo that I like.

 

[House Boy]

I see here and other threads from B&B members that the Tony Miller strops are popular and well liked, I can see why myself. So I'm sure my question has been answered a few times but I am wondering the cotton or the hemp when I order. Just looking for an everyday or every other day use and before a purchase of a straight I'll be examining a straight my uncle the barber had back in the day, but in reality for me I will only be using one SR, oh and I'll be doing my own honing.

 

[Wid]

I see here and other threads from B&B members that the Tony Miller strops are popular and well liked, I can see why myself. So I'm sure my question has been answered a few times but I am wondering the cotton or the hemp when I order. Just looking for an everyday or every other day use and before a purchase of a straight I'll be examining a straight my uncle the barber had back in the day, but in reality for me I will only be using one SR, oh and I'll be doing my own honing.

I have both the cotton and the hemp. I prefer the hemp over the cotton. Has more draw and feels better with a razor. The cotton is fast and zippy, not much feedback I can feel.

 

[House Boy]

@Wid, Thanks can I ask, what is better for the edge, the hemp or cotton? Just trying to understand this stuff.

 

[Wid]

@Wid, Thanks can I ask, what is better for the edge, the hemp or cotton? Just trying to understand this stuff.

The hemp will have a greater affect on the razor. It’s very close to the linen in feel and I suspect affect. I rarely use the cotton

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Yup, hemp over cotton, the flax is good too. About the same between Hemp and Flax.
Hemp and Flax are micro aggressive and can add polish and micro keenness.

The reason Tony’s strop are so well regarded is that they are handmade strops at great prices for what you get.
And… you can buy replacement linen and leathers. A big plus if you are learning to master stropping, that, can be hard on strops.

So, you can upgrade leather down the road without having to buy a whole new strop.

Stropping is critical to edge maintenance and maximum performance, so buy a quality strop.

 

[Tanuki]

I see here and other threads from B&B members that the Tony Miller strops are popular and well liked, I can see why myself. So I'm sure my question has been answered a few times but I am wondering the cotton or the hemp when I order. Just looking for an everyday or every other day use and before a purchase of a straight I'll be examining a straight my uncle the barber had back in the day, but in reality for me I will only be using one SR, oh and I'll be doing my own honing.

@Wid described the hemp and the new cotton very well. Myself, I'm having a torrid affair with Tony Miller's new zippy cotton paired with the fast bridle. Not like any other cotton I've used. But the hemp is great and more a general purpose tool. As for his leathers (I have five) the veg tanned smooth horse is my other top choice.

I have a lot of strops, but those are my top two recommendations.

Almost forgot - 3" all the way for me.

 

[helicopter]

I have several I have used.

The sleeve I cut off an old dress shirt with pinking shears,.chucked in a vise, and smeared with chrome oxide compound.

The Sharp Pebble leather bench strop.

Two AliX speciastrop. bench strops.l, one smeared with chrome oxide.

A scrap of cherry 1x3.

A leather loop belt I got at renfest.

A Fromm Illinois leather and cloth hanging strop.

The last one is the best by far. The first one is OK for the purpose.

I am trying to decide what to get to upgrade my compound loaded game. Perhaps some 2 inch fire hose. Perhaps another Illinois. Maybe just a strip of denim.

I will probably end up cutting it, so no TM for now.