Introducing the Marcotte Strop -- the best-looking, highest quality strops to be found anywhere, guaranteed. Made exclusively for Shamrock Shaving by Doug Marcotte of Tucson, Arizona, these strops are made from thick, sturdy saddle-grade hide, painstakingly selected for the smoothest finish both front and back. The slick front side of these incredibly thick strops is for regular stropping of your straight razor; the porous, slightly springy backside is perfect for treating with diamond or chromium oxide lapping paste. Maintain your razor daily with the saddle-smooth front, and flip this strop over to refresh the edge with micro-grit that I'll apply for free at your request.

Strength and beauty are just two reasons this is the best strop available. Size is another reason. Three inches wide, the only width that makes sense because it lets you strop your straight razor without using an X-pattern; 26 inches long, with an 18-inch working surface, your arm will run out of swing before you run out of strop. Just run your razor straight up and down this perfectly flat, straight piece of leather, which will not cup or curve. Doug tests these strops by hanging a 10-lb. weight overnight from the steel D-loop. The leather thong is up to that test, too; it's not a shoelace, it's a thick strip of saddle leather, hand-cut by Doug.

Fastened with chrome Chicago screws instead of rivets, these strops are modular. If you make a horrible mistake while stropping too fast and slice a chunk out of a Marcotte strop, you can have the injured piece replaced for much less than the cost of a new strop.

Diamond lapping compound in .25-micron grit is available pre-applied to your Marcotte Strop. This grit from Hand American is monocrystalline, so it leaves a smoother, more comfortable edge than most diamond compounds. Or you can have green chrome oxide paste in .5-micron grit for a slightly less sharp but somewhat smoother edge.

Shipping is free in the United States via priority mail and discounted to other locations. The Marcotte Strop also comes with a free four-ounce cake of Shamrock Shaving's luxury shaving soap. Remember that when comparing prices, and remember there's nothing else on the market that's built this strong and looks this good. Request your preferred soap scent: Old Spice, Italian Lime, Bay Rum or Almond.

Check out my other listings. I also carry shave-ready straight razors an assortment of shaving soaps and premium shaving creams in eight scents.