Thread: "Sea Mammal" strop

Years ago, before I ever dreamed I'd be shaving with straight razors, I picked up some strops, because they were affordable, looked interesting and I thought I'd someday replace the old crusty one I was using for final polishing on my woodworking tools. Well, I'm glad I could never bear to subject these to the abuse of my chisels and plane irons. None have ever felt a shop tool and now I am using them for shaving!

One has been particularly effective and is also the most curious. It is an all black, single piece (no linen). The black appears to be its manufactured color as it is uniformly black all over, including under the hanging hardware. Typical size, it is marked "Sea Mammal" on both sides in faded gold lettering. One side has a very slight pebbling and is marked "Grain" and "Sharpenning" while the other smoother side is marked "Shell" and "Finishing". There is also an image of some kind of aquatic creature on one side. The hanging end has no hardware or special shape, it's just the squared off end of the strop. There are some stamps that are hard to read at the bottom...probably the marks of the manufacturer and/or distributor.

It has a great draw and has been very effective for me, being the first strop I could manage to get an edge with. I've returned to it lately with my heavier razors and it's still working great.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Any ideas what the material is? Is the Sea Mammal just a clever name or was this something other than four-footed leather? The material itself is not naturally black as the few nicks on it show brown underneath.

- Dale

Methinks Dale has been clubbing baby seals...

(I have nothing constructive to add to this thread, unfortunately. )

Josh

A baby harp seal walks into a club...

/my favorite joke, although they didn't like it too much in Portland
//credit to The Amazing Jonathan

Josh

Great (sick) minds...

J.

So this seal walks into a bar and tells the bartender... "anything but Canadian Club on the rocks is fine with me.".

Wow! Did this thread go off the reservation fast!

As a "seal clubbing" Canadian I am offended by the jokes made in this thread . Sorry I just felt the need to take part in this thread as I am Canadian and also absolutely love that joke, and hey if they make good strops then one more reason to continue the hunt!


Ivan

...and the mechanic told me it looked like I'd blew a seal. I advised him to stick to cars and stay out of my personal life.... << rim shot, please..>>

As a matter of fact I have a seal skin strop. It a fine strop.

So this guy walks into the Straight Razor Place with a seal strop...and is clueless about seal jokes

...and maybe I don't want to know ?? I guess I lead a sheltered life.

Oh, well...it's a fine strop

- Dale