Also called “Straps”, these are pieces of leather used as sharpening tools primarily for straight razors but also used for very sharp knives. A hanging strop, usually a long piece of tough leather (often horse hide) about 2 1/2 inches wide, was once ubiquitous at your local barber and in most households. Also in widely used were Paddle Strops, leather affixed to a hand-held wooden paddle. Back in their day, the strop (hanging strop or paddle strop) was a handy tool for spanking, much like the belt. With the invention of the “safety razor” which used disposable razor blades, leather strops for sharpening became obsolete and today are no longer widely used.