Thread: What should it feel like?

What should a plain leather strop feel like to the touch? I bought a very inexpensive strop. It had a couple of OK reviews. 1 being that it was made of horse hide, and 2 that it worked pretty good. When I got it in the mail, it had a scratch on it toward the bottom of the leather side and it felt slick and hard to the touch. I smoothed out the gouge with some 600 and 1200 grit and then went over the whole strop with 600 and 1200 grit for good measure. Next I am starting to work in some mink oil and things are starting to soften up. I am wondering what it should feel like so I can try to determine if this thing will be usable or if I should can it. Also, what should it feel like to drag a razor across it. should it feel smooth or kind of grabby? Thank you for all of your information.

Every strop feels different and ever razor on every other strop feels different. Some are have a slick drag while others are grabby. Two razors may feel different on the same strop.

As long as you strop is smooth and without wrinkles you should be good to go.

Could you tell us the source/brand of the strop? Any decent strop should not require any work with sandpaper to make it acceptable for use.

Like simpleman said each strop is different the key is a wrinkle free surface the smooth part is a matter of preference as some like a suede like feel and others prefer very slick. We probably will be able to tell you more about the strop by who makes it and/or with pics of it.

Well, like I said it is not a decent strop. it was very cheap, and I am trying to make it usable. It is a scalpmaster barber stop. That is all I know about it. I bought it off of Amazon.com It has a small gouge in it still, but the razor glides over it and I can not feel it when I use the strop. What do you all think? On a side note, can anyone point me toward a decent strop. I would like something good for my razor, then Maybe I will use this one on my knives.

The strop, and the quality of the leather, is a very important catalyst to success.

Please get another strop, this time from a reputable vendor.

What would you all recommend? I would like to stay in the $40 or $50 range, but I would not let that limit me.

There is a bunch of different strops you can get in that range straightshot. Starshaving.com has some nice ones for a good price Leather Hanging Strops I have the 2" one. Also whippeddog.com run by LarryAndro a member here has a nice kit that I also have http://www.whippeddog.com/-----$19---Poor-Man-Strop-Kit-with-Leather-Strop/ . I have also heard strops by illinois strop company are nice and that ruprazor.com has nice strops. As well as Straightrazordesigns.com and classicshaving.com

I'd go with the Straight Razor Designs' strops. Just my opinion. I've got the Premium 4, and the Premium 1. They cause the wallet to shrink a bit more than some of the other strops, but I love them both, and they're worth every penny.

I think of it like shoes. Buying crappy footwear only causes problems down the road. Good shoes, happy feet. Good strop, happy razor....happy razor, happy face.....happy face, happy SWMBO....happy SWMBO, more man time on man hobbies. There you go.

Have fun!