Printable View
Hi all!
Is there any fine quality strops that are not made of horsehide that give the same results?(i.e. Illinois strops) Due to my own personal objections the use of a horsehide strop is out of the question but I do not want to sacrifice quality. The only strops I can find that are made other than horsehide are too narrow or too short for my tastes.
thanks
Are you looking for cowhide or non leather?Quote:
Originally Posted by hozzman
Just love horses more than cows, Hozz? :hmmm:
Oak tanned cowhide does just fine. I made a couple of nice, long, 3 inch wide beauties from strap leather I bought at Tandy. They had extra large D-rings that I put on both ends and voila! Two 25" strops for about $30. Slap some diamond paste on the rough side of one of them and those straights will keen up really well.
:cool:
BTW Welcome to SRP!
Ahh, tandy leather. Didn't even think of that one. And yes, nothing personal against cowlovers out there but the only way I like cows are with a baked potato. *LOL*
BTW, would the standard strop pastes such as Fromm or Dovo work nicely?
Tony Miller (www.thewellshavedgentleman.com) has a fine selection of strops in various widths/lengths. He's got a couple different kinds of cow-based strop and even working on a vegan alternative. I have one of his 4-sided paddle strops with Honey Brown and Latigo on it and the craftsmanship and quality are excellent.
Ant
Thats where I was going with my question.Quote:
Originally Posted by AntC
Sounds like we have a serious case of "speci-ism" here.:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by hozzman
Larry
I realize that there aren't many left in the wild, but going out to trap a nauga might be a reasonable solution for this dilemma. Once skinned, the nauga's hide could possibly work for a strop for those having sensitivities or affections for other hide sources. The nauga's outside skinside should be very drawful and the inside non-skinside is almost like the linen that so many like so well.
Will you let us know how it works? --Bruce
Very good bruce!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce
I saw a whalehide strop on ebay USA recently.
Thanks, excellent resources.
In the past they made strops out of all kinds of critters-camels, elk,seals, horses, cows and many more. In the end I don't think it makes much difference, they all work well.
And if you want you can make a bambi strop, which has the added advantage that you can eat bambi afterwards. ;)
But you have to be careful with Bambi, use the well flexed outer thigh for the stropping. you surely do not want to mess up the inner :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
:roflmao:roflmao Bruno...I didn't know you had a sense of humor about such things!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
Well, it's not like his mother will be missing him.Quote:
Originally Posted by JMS
And let's not kid ourselves. If God didn't mean for us to eat him, he wouldn't have made him so damn tasty, with no means to defend himself.
Finding a non-horsehide strop is actually easy Illinois, Dovo and Jemico are all cowhide as are my Latigo and Honey Brown strops. While I obviosuly favor mine <g> Any of those brands will serve well and without violatiing the Horsehide issue.
My daughter occasionally helps me with assembly and she too, a horse owner will not work on the Horsehide models.
Tony
I believe performance wise most any strop will do.
We are all facinated with razors, strops , hones, preps and post shave products.
I've noticed that since I've joined the Yahoo and now this SRP Forums that "Zeitgiest" is the best way to describe what is best aka "Spirit of the Times."
We all remember when Double Duck Wonderedge Razors, TI, Maistro L Razors, Norton, Belgian , Escher,Amplex Diamond, Vulvix 41 and Classic Shaving Soap (slippery as Goose Snot--Thank you John Crowley) were all the "must have miracle items. They were and some still are buzzing in the forums.
I do not remember that Horse hide use to be talked about until the past year or so. My observation.
I think actual skill and practice and education of the two are most important.
I would just purchase what I desire most depending on affordability.
TBH Horsehide isn't the best, Cordovan Shell/Russian shell are the best. That is of course in my humble opinion. :)
PuFF
I'd have to agree. Different yes, better not always. Whatever works for one is the "best". Each has a different feel. Some love a higher draw, others prefer a smooth, light draw strop.Quote:
Originally Posted by PuFFaH
The Russian Shell statement though brings up a more modern question. What does that mean today. Leathers billed as Russian had several traits....most relating to a regular feeling strop "plus". Technically it was suposed to mean a special tanning process with particular barks that also happened to give it a red appearance. So today we have red commercially made "Russian" strops that are red but are they tanned the same way. Some Russian strops were also textured and compressed to make them have a more firm temper. Some commercial "Russian" strops today are also textured in someway and may also be red in color too. Most early Russian strops were horsehide but even there it varies, I had one in my collection with lettering describing the special 6 or 9 month tanning process and it was textured. The writing in Cyrillic also clearly stated calfhide, not horsehide.
Today we have lots of variations on the old themes but all are compromises really and from owning many, all seem to do a fine job still.
Tony