Thread: Straight Razor Designs Premium IV English Bridle

Strops. Is there anything left to say about strops? We all have them. For many, they are simply a means to maintain their razors in shave ready state. I was like that once, too. Having hacked my first strop to mincemeat, I was entirely happy with my Old Traditional. But it lacked a canvas strop, and since I had foolishly pasted the canvas side of my Dovo strop, I needed a new one. Enter Lynn and the Premium I. Mine came with webbed fabric, so I bought the Rock Hard Wool strop with webbing and extra linen in order to replace the webbing on the Premium I. And I was hooked. So Lynn kindly provided me with his Modular Paddle (review to follow, but it will not quite be neutral), and the new Straight Razor Designs Premium IV English Bridle strop.

Here is what the vendors have to say:

Introducing the New Straight Razor Designs Premium IV English Bridle strop. You have come to expect superior products from us and this one does not disappoint. We took a great English Bridle leather and treated it specifically to enhance its draw for use with a straight razor. This strop needs no other treatment and starts off with a very nice result and only gets better with repeated use. The craftsmanship of this strop is exceptional as are all of our USA handmade strops. When you compare the cuts and quality of our strops, you will know that they are the best razor stropping tools available to you from anywhere. They are indeed a great value. The second strop on this strop is our fabulous webbed fabric.

So, having snatched it from the greedy hands of German customs, where I had to unceremoniously open it, I took it to my new home, and unpacked it properly. I am quite sure that all small children who get gifts from Don hate him with a vengeance - the package was perfectly executed, and the strop - albeit slightly rolled up - was in top shape immediately after unpacking.



So, on to the review. I have only used the strop for about two hours. I expect it to get even better over time. My Premium I was exactly the same. But I will post an update in about a month nonetheless.



Feedback: Audible and tactile feedback are brilliant. The leather is really quite firm (I expect it to break in quickly, though), but perfect for stropping out of the box already.

Here is the Premium IV alongside the Premium I (left) with the old logo.



Speed: The perfect strop for high speed stropping. The leather is smooth but firm, and delivers less draw than the Premium I, but that is as it should be. Mine has almost too much draw for my taste.



Durability: This strop is made to last, as are all my SRD strops. Perfect craftsmanship again - the strop, while being truly beautiful, is as very sturdy without compromising its simple elegance.

Portability: Interestingly, the leather is so smooth that it will roll up without taking any damage. This makes this strop a potential travelling strop, if required, although I find it hard to imagine why anyone would want to travel with a strop of this size.



Size: The above image shows, from left to right: Old Traditional by The Different Scent, Premium IV, Premium I, Rock Hard Wool & Felt. As you can see, the Premium IV is 3" longer than the others. It is also 3" wide, a size I have learned to appreciate quite a lot over time. Still, because of the well designed hardware, it will neither cup nor sag. And the extra length makes it even easier to use than the (already quite big) Premium I.



Craftsmanship: The craftsmanship is impeccable. SRD are known for being fastidious when it comes to delivering not just good, but perfect, products. This is their latest hanging strop, and it is the first to truly rival my Old Traditional (the latter being a completely different design, so yes, we are talking apples and oranges a little). The hardware is basically the same as on the Premium I (sturdy D ring, well designed handles), but the beautiful leather gives this strop a unique, and sophisticated look.



Price: At USD 84.99 the strop is actually quite a steal. You can get replacement leather for USD 30 which somehow makes all USD 30 strops useless, if you can manage the initial investment.

Overall: Another great strop from Straight Razor Designs. Is it perfect? I do not really know. I already gave the Premium I all 10s when it came out, but this one is better. I like its size, its looks, and its performance. Perfect? I hope not, because I am looking forward to an even better one. And I am sure Lynn and Don are cooking it up while I type.

Hawsome review Robin. I ordered the Bridle replacement leather to replace my nicked up latigo. I will balete this and submit a proper review when it arrives.

Your reviews are simply the best...... better than all the rest.

As promised, here is a small update. The strop has seen daily use, and, as expected, the amount of draw this strop provides has increased a bit. It is now very pleasant to use. The extra length, and the quality of the leather, make this strop my favourite SRD strop, and certainly one of the best strops currently in the market.

I guess we'll have to max out the ratings at 11 instead of 10!

Thanks for the pics I'm waiting for mine to come in the mail.

Is this strop longer then normal? If so how long is the stropping area?