THIS STROP IS EXACTLY LIKE THE OTHER FULL SIZE LISTING EXCEPT IT IS 2 INCHES SHORTER AND $5 LESS IN PRICE. STILL PLENTY OF REAL ESTATE TO STROP.
THE NEWEST ADDITION TO MY STROP SELECTIONS! A PREMIUM HAND-CRAFTED FULL GRAIN VEG TAN ENGLISH BRIDLE HANGING STROP FROM THE HIGHLY REGARDED WICKETT & CRAIG TANNERY.
- When we shave with our straight razors, the edge gets taken out of alignment. Stropping between shaves realigns that edge to keep it keen and helps extend the time between honing.
- I am pleased to offer this very nice high-quality 3" wide hand-crafted English bridle strop. Wickett & Craig is a well-known, and a very highly regarded tannery of superb quality leather. They are a USA based company founded in 1867, but they are recognized worldwide. They are also recognized for having some of the best, if not the best English bridle leather on the market. So, I was very excited when one of my suppliers sold me some of this leather at a price that I could pass on to the shaving community.
- The belts are 19" long, and the total length with the hardware is about 23". It has a one-piece backing belt that offers both polypro webbing and 100% cotton. A beveling and burnishing tool were used on the edges of the leather strip.
- I know that some people like synthetic materials like poly or nylon, and others prefer natural cotton as a backing. So, I decided to add both to my strops, so the user has a choice. Both linen fabric s can be used as well if desired. The fabrics can be used for things like drying the edge, clearing the edge of any debris before using the fine leather, loading compounds, sprays, etc. The strop has a swivel to easily rotate from leather to the linen backing.
- The leather is a beautiful rich dark brown color. This Wickett & Craig English bridle leather requires a very labor-intensive process that produces an amazing end result leather. Feel free to read more about the company and the process of the leather online if you'd like.
Here is some info about the leather from their website:
- English Bridle
- Labor-intensive and incredibly appealing, English Bridle is a traditional leather with a variety of uses, from classic equestrian gear to high-end leather goods. Drum dyed and hot stuffed, English Bridle is smooth, flexible yet durable. Beautifully crafted with a flawless, even surface.
Since this is a hobby & passion I love, I am making & selling these strops at only a small mark-up over the cost of making and shipping them.
I want people who enjoy straight razor shaving to have an opportunity to get a top-notch strop at a fair, affordable & reasonable price. I craft these strops by hand here in the Duke City Albuquerque, New Mexico. There are no plastic or low-quality parts on these strops. All the materials are quality & with proper care; the strop should easily last a lifetime.
I ship the strops in a 12" long box. They are packaged in a C shape and not folded, so you don't have to worry about creases or fold markings when you receive it.
I include 2 hooks for hanging and using the strop. One hook to hang the strop, and a second hook you can use to hold the top leather belt when accessing the cotton part of the backing belt. To access the polypro part of the backing belt, you simply rotate the strop over with the swivel.
Note: Leather is a natural material, so the hides can have some minor cosmetic imperfections like little scars, blemishes, light surface scratches from the handling process, etc. This is absolutely normal, especially with high quality full grain leathers that have not been surfaced and have their full structure. I make sure my strops have a surface that is perfectly suitable for stropping. Any minor aesthetic imperfections that may exist will be minimal and are merely cosmetic that will not affect stropping in any way.
This listing is for the dark brown colored Wickett & Craig leather. If you would like to see other strop options available, please see my listings for current availability.
FAQ'S:
Q: HOW DO I CONDITION THE LEATHER?
A: PALM STROPPING WILL IMPART OILS FROM YOUR SKIN INTO THE LEATHER KEEPING IT NATURALLY CONDITIONED INDEFINITELY. IT WILL ALSO HELP SPEED UP THE BREAK IN PROCESS. ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN USE A PRODUCT LIKE NEATSFOOTS OIL, MINK OIL, ETC A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR.
Q: WHICH ONE OF YOUR STROPS IS BEST?
A: THIS IS SUBJECTIVE AND IS A PERSONAL OPINION BASED ON THINGS LIKE COLOR, FEEL, DRAW, ETC. ALL MY STROPS ARE HIGH QUALITY VEG TAN AND DO AN EQUALLY EXCELLENT JOB OF MAINTAINING AN EDGE WHEN USED PROPERLY.
Q: WHAT IS THE FABRIC STRIP FOR?
A: THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE FABRIC IS TO PREPARE THE BLADE FOR THE FINE LEATHER. IT WILL CLEAR THE EDGE OF POSSIBLE THINGS LIKE DUST, SOAP SCUM, MICRO BURRS, ECT. ALSO FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO USE ABRASIVE SUBSTANCES LIKE COMPOUNDS, PASTES, OR SPRAYS , IT CAN SERVE AS A PLATFORM TO APPLY THEM.
Q: I AM NEW TO USING A STROP & I AM WORRIED I WILL CUT AND RUIN THE LEATHER, WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?
A: THE MAIN REASON LEATHER GETS CUT IS BECAUSE OF TRYING TO STROP TO FAST OR INACCURATELY. SPEED IS ABSOLUTELY NOT NECESSARY WHEN STROPPING. STROP SLOW & METHODICALLY BEING MINDFUL TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE ROTATING ON THE SPINE WITHOUT LIFTING THE RAZOR. GO AS SLOW AS NEEDED TO ASSURE YOU ARE DOING IT PROPERLY. ALWAYS EDGE TRAILING, AND NEVER EDGE LEADING STROKES. STROPPING IMPROPERLY CAN NOT ONLY CUT THE LEATHER BUT CAUSE PREMATURE BLUNTING OF THE EDGE. WATCHING VIDEOS FOR A VISUAL AID CAN BE VERY HELPFUL. PRACTICE ON ONE OF FABRICS BEFORE USING THE LEATHER. IF YOU GO SLOW AND EASY YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CUTTING INTO THE LEATHER. AS YOU BUILD UP MUSCLE MEMORY YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR PACE IF DESIRED.
STRAIGHT RAZOR SHAVING IS ALL ABOUT TAKING YOUR TIME AND ENJOYING THE WHOLE PROCESS & EXPERIENCE!
Thank you for looking & Happy shaving, everyone!