Thread: J.R. Torrey Combination Hone and Cushion Belt Strop

I have seen one of these before but I thought I'd share the example I just picked up from an antique store in the burbs.

the box is in very good condition:



Side labeled "1" is the old rock italian razor hone 7" x 1 1/8" and an estimate of about 1/8" thick:



Side "2" is just wood with red strop dressing on it:


Side "3" is cushioned leather with black dressing


Side "4" is cushioned leather but I can't tell if it's plain or has some sort of abrasive in it.



I saw another owner of one of these removed the stone and put it in it's own holder but I think the leather is in reparable shape, so I may just try to clean those sides up and keep this whole thing intact.

Very nice! and in very good condition, BTW that's a Coticule. The dark areas is the BBW coming through.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Very nice! and in very good condition, BTW that's a Coticule. The dark areas is the BBW coming through.

Yup! I read that was what the "old rock italian razor hone" was, and my first coticule at that!

Originally Posted by Martin103

The dark areas is the BBW coming through.

No, it´s not. You can see this on lots of coticules, I have one myself. I´ve read somewhere, it has something to do with manganese. There´s nothing wrong with that, it does not affect honing in any way.

Well I managed to pick up a second one of these on E-bay... not for the price of my first, but still a fair deal I think. Interestingly, the hone in the latest purchase was separated from the wood it was previously glued to. The only thing holding it in was the wood which sandwiched the beveled end of the hone on each side. It measures 6 3/4" x 1" x 1/8" and has the same exact look as my first (minus the black spots).
I accidentally ripped one of the leather sides off when sliding the hone in it's setting, thereby allowing me to slide the hone out. Pics are after scrubbing most of the oil off and lapping it flat.

First on top, second on bottom:


With hone removed, I'm really glad I didn't have to find a way to pry the hone from the wood.


Closeup of the new Old Rock Italian Razor hone (Coticule), dry:


Side by side, pretty similar looking stones.

Recently a trip to an antique mall yielded a very similar four sided J.R. Torrey strop with Old Rock...
This model is a 700 (vs the 730 of the previous two) and with a two sided strop nested inside a sleeve with two additional stropping surfaces, all the same types of treated leather. Seems they were a little less stingy with the stone in the 700 model as it measures slightly wider than the other two at 1.25" wide though the same length and thickness. As I was lapping the stone it popped right off the handle, so I have another free floating stone which needs mounting:



It's less speckled than the other two and has some minor inclusions that don't affect the honing surface.

Newest to me on the far right.

Also on the trip, I spotted this funny little stone in a stack of other stones. It appeared that someone had taken a handful of very nice Franz Swaty barber hones and broken them off just above the brand stamp. But mixed in this group was a crudely glued coti, which I cannot tell whether it used to be longer or was always this 2.5x2.5" square. I say crudely as the BBW bottom and the Belgian top do not sit flush like I've seen with other glued combos. Though it is a cute little "bout" shape, with an even colored tan side (pay no attention to the harsh DMT lapping marks).


Coti portion is just over 1/8" and the BBW is closer to 3/16.

Well it seems you have found a Coticule mine !

Very nice score! I would love to have one like that........

What a great find and in such great shape. I'll have to keep an eye out for one of those. Just awesome and perfectly functional!