Leather quality (strop)

FrenchBlade

FrenchBlade

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2,124
Location
South of France
I have this leather artisan near where I live, so I think he can make me a strop quite easily..
What leather type should I ask for, what do you have to check (minimum thickness etc..)?

Ideal length x width?

I'd like to see if he'd like to make me one :D

Max
 
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Great shaving gear and look at their strops to get a better idea

Blades
 
2.5 inches wide is a good standard width - anything over 16 inches (clear stropping length) is suitable. The thickness of the leather should be from around 2mm (thin) to 4.5mm (thick).

You want a full-faced leather that is not a 'split' (they split a hide in two, apply some form of compound to one side, then impress a grain on it so it looks just like the original - but it ins't - on a split hide you are not stropping on a leather surface). For the same reason, avoid a chrome-tanned leather and go for a vegetable tanned leather that isn't too stiff - if you can only get the very stiff type, a light coating of oil to the back will tame it a bit (neatsfoot oil is suitable - applied lightly and allowed to seep into the leather from the back). The fully oiled leathers have a bit too much draw and are hard to strop on - typically they have three coats of oil applied to the back and two to the front.

Regards,
Neil
 
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