noun / verb
strop
STRAHP/strɑːp/
A leather strip for sharpening razors, or its use.
The barber smooths his razor on a leather strop before shaving.
Etymology
Middle English stroppe meant a harness loop or strap. The razor sense specializes that broader meaning to a leather strip used to smooth the blade’s edge.
In context
Because the blade is longer than the strop's width, you'll need to sweep the blade sideways as you work so you sharpen the entire edge evenly.
More examples
- She strops her straight razor before each shave.
- He stropped the blade with slow, even strokes.
- The leather strop hangs beside the bathroom mirror.
Forms
strop · strops · stropped · stropping
Similar words
- hone
- Refines a blade's edge, typically with an abrasive stone.
- sharpen
- Broadly means making an edge sharper by any method.