Editing Razor Strops

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[[Image:Tony Miller Heirloom Traditional Artisan Strops.jpg|thumb|right|Tony Miller Heirloom "Traditional" Artisan hanging strop]] 

A razor strop is flexible strip of leather or canvas used to maintain a shaving edge on a thin blade such as a straight razor. [[Finishing Pastes|Fine powdered jeweler's rouge or other pastes]] can be [[Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial|added]] as an abrasive to polish the blade. 

The strop may be a hanging strip or a hand-held paddle.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_strop</ref>

== What is the strop used for? ==

Stropping is one the most important steps in keeping your razor shaving sharp.

== What is the linen/cotton side of the strop used for? ==

Some strops have linen, webbed fabric or cotton backings. There is not a general consensus even among experts why these materials work, but many users find them to be very beneficial in their stropping routines.

== Using a strop ==
Please refer to the article [[Razor stropping]] in the [[:Category:Stropping|stropping category]].

== Treating and repairing strops ==
Please refer to the article [[Strop_treatment_and_repair| strop treatment and repair]].

==Further Reading==
* [[Making a (very) home-made strop]]
* [[Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial]]
* [[Easily make a pasted balsa strop]]
* [[Making a linen strop out of denim]]
* [[Finishing Pastes]]
* [[Using micro abrasive film]]

== Humour: Top 10 reasons why strops are better than hones<br>  ==

10. You can get a dull razor to shave with good stropping, but you can't hone a razor smooth enough to be able to shave 

9. You never hear anybody say "I over stropped again" 

8. You can always [[Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial|put paste on a strop]] 

7. You can send your razor out to be honed, but you can't send it out to be stropped 

6. You don't have to soak a strop in order for it to work 

5. You can't tie a hone up in the bathroom 

4. You can't snap a hone and make the kids clean their room. 

3. You can't get a cat to chase a dangling hone into a wall, but a strop does the job really well. 

2. You can't dry your back with a hone, but the linen side of a strop finally has a use now. 

1. A strop in the bedroom makes you look like a frisky stud, a hone in the bedroom makes you look like a woodworker.<ref>http://www.straightrazorplace.com/forums/strops/5183-strops-better-than-hones-top-10-a.html Originally posted by [http://www.straightrazorplace.com/forums/members/afdavis11.html AFDavis11]</ref> 

== References  ==

<references />
[[Category:Basic_Equipment]] [[Category:Stub]]