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Strop advice needed.

torbenbp

Well-Known Member
Hi

As I`m badly in need of a low cost strop I found this one :
http://www.dovorazors.com/_wp_generated/wp297f1600.png

56195011 Russian-type cowhide covered tensionable hand-held strop. One side natural leather, one side red pasted leather

But is it any good?? Does anyone have experience with it?
 
I know nearly as much about strops as I do greek poetry, but it looks a bit narrow?

I'm using a heavy red latigo strap that's 2" wide and another half inch wouldn't hurt. I can't tell precisely from the picture but that doesn't even look 2" wide. As happens I'm cutting a piece of leather that's too heavy to be optimal for strops, mostly as an exercise in conditioning and preparing the leather surface. In the attempts to soften and edge and flatten, hopefully I'll learn something about strop maintainence, and what makes a good one.

So far I find no reason to directly associate a $350 strop with value 10x that of a $35 strop. Disregarding pleasure in use, and measuring only by utility (the quality of the resulting shave and how long it took), I'm hard pressed to say that there's much room to improve above an ordinary 'Good' strop. There's just not that much better to GET.

It would be generous to say you could 'double' the quality of the shave, in your own mind, and silly to say 10 times better. So you do need a USEFUL strop and the tension-able feature appeals to me, but it best be big enough, length and width both. Have you measured the size of your longest stroke? The length if you are using as much room as you please? And the requirements for length and width may vary between razors..

I don't know what options you have available, nor budget. I don't know enough to say much about what constitutes 'Good' quality..

but even a novice knows that size matters. :)
 
For daily stropping, I really recommend to go with this one:
"18945002 hanging strop, Russian-type cowhide with canvas backing, top swivel and grab bar." (it's on the same website)

I'm currently writing an article about strops, to be posted tomorrow or the day after.

The strop you describe is excellent for pasted stropping, but for daily stropping, you're better off with a hanging strop that has no pastes anywhere near. I think a linen component is important as well.
The particular Dovo strop I've mentioned has the best linen I have encountered so far. The "Russian-type" leather works incredibly well. To my knowledge, that strop is the best bang for the buck available.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Hi

Thank you for answering.

Well I`m still confused as what to get.

I have Ray`s Balsa strop and think its great. And no...its not for daily use,I know! Though it is very tempting at times B)

So all advices is taken into consideration and I`ll keep looking for a while. Gary still have some Dovo`s left so it might be one of them.
 
I would go for one of the dovo's or one one Jim's japanese 1000 models, both top notch quality items at an affordable price
 
Yeah..
I guess I have to wait for Gary to get back from holliday....
Hate waiting:cry:

Thanks for the advice.
 
Yeah me too how inconsiderate of him hahahaha

Also the one from Gary is the shorter Dovo, you may consider the longer one in the future or a japanese 2000?
 
Right...dont know what the hell he`s thinking..leaving like that!

I think it will be the short version as there is very limited workspace..
 
tat2Ralfy said:
Yeah me too how inconsiderate of him hahahaha

Also the one from Gary is the shorter Dovo, you may consider the longer one in the future or a japanese 2000?

Ralfy, for the record, I no longer sell the 10000, and the 20000 is a 60cm strop. the cheapest 66cm strop is the 40000, and considering Torben is 1.) just starting out and 2) limiting his budget to $40-$50, I honestly can't recommend the Kanayamas.

Torben, eventually, when you're more comfortable stropping and more comfortable making the investment, you might consider a Kanayama strop, but until then I think the DOVO sounds like a winner.

Good luck!

Best,
Jim
 
Thanks Jim

Budget is limited as there`s some other things needed as well ;-)

And ...It`s most likely to be shredded, at least untill I`m getting the hang of it..

So the short Dovo it is..

Thanks
 
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