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How often do you replace your STROP?

J

Jantjeuh

Well-Known Member
Hey lads,

I'm just wondering, how long do your strops last, and when do you replace them?
I've had mine for quite some time now and I really like it, it's a Dovo one, wouldn't mind a wider one though. Anyhow, last night, with too much enthousiasm, nicked the damn strop, the very first nick in it... Other than that it's in tip top condition, but besides this, how the heck do you a lot of you justify buying 3+ strops on a year? What do you do to them? Or is it just to collect and try out different types of strops?
 
Personnaly I think you could get by just fine with one strop, granted you don't totally destroy it. I don't think a nick here or there is going to make that much difference, and you could always lightly sand them out if they ever do become a problem. I think buying several strops is just like getting several stones: it's nice to try out different ones. Do you need more than 1 coticule? No. Is it nice to try out different ones? Yes. I think the same can be said for strops for some people. :)
 
I personally can't do without one decent linen and one decent leather strop.

But being human :p , I sometimes can't resist buying more stuff than I need.
I had to really restrain myself yesterday from not ordering a Semogue boar brush. While I already own an Omega boar brush that I never use anymore since I bought a Semogue badger, that I couldn't be happier about. But still, all the recent talk about them in the Cafeteria, made it very tempted to get another one.
For the same reason, I own 3 strops. One Dovo Russian. Great Linen. Perfect leather. I bought a wide red Latigo from HandAmerican, that I never learned to like. I finally bought an Old Traditional. It has no linen, the results are not better than those of the Dovo, but I just had to have it, because it's such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship and it's such a delight to use.

I think a strop can last a lifetime.
 
I have one 3" SRP strop that I use. It took a lot of neets foot oil to get it to draw, but does just fine now. I apply the oil on the back side now and let it migrate to the front.
I am looking for a strop for my nephew who is just starting out. Bart, do you want to get rid of that one from Handamerican you probably don't use?
I also sell the Handamerican Chromium Oxide on my site. It is rated at 60k and works very well on the balsa strops. That is my go to hard strop between honings and my blades are lasting about 4 month's using that and my strop. One strop seems to work well for me.

Ray
 
Yeah I'm also very tempted, those huge tony millers seem to have something :D But yes, I'll stay away untill I ruined this one. I really like the DOvo one
 
I love my Old Traditional. Best strop ever. Much less fun getting the SRD Premium to work. 40ml of neatsfoot oil, but it now works quite well. I really dislike the Dovo Russians because of their tendency to cup, but maybe that's just me.

Yes, a strop can, and probably will, last a lifetime. :blush:
 
I use 2 but own 5!
the other 3 are cheepo's but the 2 I love are both Dovo
the longest 1 is pasted with Dovo white on the Canvas side only, and the shorter 1 is pasted with green Crox again on the canvas only, I love them, they work well for me.

http://www.dovorazors.com/razorstrops.html

Second pair down, Ihave nicked the long 1 a few times on the leather but no biggy, I just sand the nick smooth with 600 grit wet/dry paper, used dry
I would imagine these will last me a very very long time
 
My current strop is just a strip of cowhide. :lol: No frills. Just a 2"x18" strip of leather with a hole on the top. I've put some minor nicks in it, but it's about time to move on, and I'm going straight for the Kanayama baby! They look like such a beautiful piece of functional craftsmanship. Kind of like the Old Traditional, which sounds equally awesome from reading your write up on it Bart.

I currently doubt I will, but if I get any other strop after the Kanayama it won't be for years, and it will probably be another Kanayama. One of those fancy ones.
 
I confess that I have almost a dozen strops, but I could get by with just a couple. I just like having a variety to choose from on any given day. And my favorite strops are ones I made myself. Unfortunately, I guess I'm not real well co-ordinated because I still manage to nick my strops every now and then. I use some of my more nicked-up strops for pastes.
 
Oh man, I'm so weak. I should never have started this thread, now I'm going crazy over the Old Traditional and that Kanayama seems interesting too. Oh man...
 
Get a Kanayama, let us know how it works. I'd really like to get my hands onto one of these things, but as I have an Old Traditional already, I'm not prepared to for out another 150 EUR for a piece of leather that just might be better. The linen looks exquisite, thought.
 
No strop for me for the moment, I really have a good one and I like my Dovo one, it's not as 'sexy' as the others I guess, but I have nothing to complain about at all. I think people really underestimate it.

It is just difficult to keep convincing myself: I DO NOT NEED ANOTHER STROP :blush: The more I say, the more I want one..
 
BeBerlin said:
150 EUR for a piece of leather
Click to expand...

Ok I was not expecting that price, thanks, I no longer have desire to get one.. 150 for a strop? Does it shave & massage you as well? :blink: Maybe later when I don't know what to do with my money anymore (lol).
 
I plan on getting the 10000, which is 10 000JPY. The only difference between the strops is thickness, and length. The 10000 is already much wider, and much longer than my current strop, so it will be good for me.

Yes, the linen looks quite stout.

I really like the simplicity of the Kanamayas, from the clip at the top to the simple cut end. I've never tried a strop with a handle, but I don't think I would like it. I think I would feel too disconnected from the strop. I find the cut end (is it called barber's cut?) is also the most visually attractive. What do you guys think?
 
I prefer the D ring handles, but they all have their appeal. I think that it's important to like the looks of your equipment, so, to me, it all boils down to what you most like looking at. Whatever appeals most to your taste is definitely the strop for you, regardless of everything else -- IMHO.:thumbup:
 
heh, having taken a closer look, :scared: 450 bucks for a strop, Beberlin, how will you feel nicking one of those? :D

But also, how the heck do you hold on to the bottom? It is just leather? My Dovo has a nice handle, works perfect. I don't mind strops with a ring either, but this one is just the leather? Wouldn't you naturally.. cup it then?
 
I couldn't enjoy an expensive strop -- I'd be too afraid of nicking it. I still manage to nick a strop every now and then but it's not that big a deal because they don't cost all that much (most of them I make myself). But if I nicked a $450 strop I think I'd break down and cry!:p
 
Hmmmm...is it ok for me to post here? ;)

I am not a big strop fanatic, but there are a couple that I find I REALLY want. One is The Old Traditional--Robin and Bart wrote poetry on those...and I will get one, eventually.

And the other just arrived today--I got one of Tslil's handmade "Variable Tension Strops". It is MASSIVE, and beautiful. I'll have to try it out some before I say more, but I am really looking forward to it. And Tslil went above and beyond, making me a carrying case and throwing a Covenant stone hone in there with it. Aces, that.

Then, of course...the Kanayamas are there, aren't they? My babies.

I use a #90000. I can't talk much about it, because, you know, I sell them. I know it's impossible to listen to anything that I say about them without taking that into consideration, and that's as it should be. I want them to speak for themselves (if anyone would write a #$##$# review...), so I won't have to.

But holy cripes, do I love this strop. The leather, man...I want pants made of it..Even my wife likes to just run her hands over it. She knows diddly squat about strops or razors, but when she saw it for the first time she said "That is beautiful".

It really is.

And yes, when you nick a $450 strop, you cry. Just a little bit. But they are tools to be used, as much as they are to be admired. I know a couple of people who bought 90000s and won't use them...I think it's a sin, personally.

As for holding it, it's fine once you get used to it. I hold the strop in use between my index and middle fingers, and the other strop between my ring and pinky fingers, to keep it from flopping around.

Guys, if you have any questions or anything about Kanayamas, please let me know. I hope Bart won't take it amiss, I'm not trying to sell anything, but I love these strops, and I love Naomi-san, the maker, so I'm always happy to talk about them both.
 
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