Thread: Am I Just Paranoid...

Or do the strops sold by Zeepk bear a suspicious resemblance to the Illinois strop at Classic Shaving?

Even if the style is a popular one, the wording of the Zeepk description bears a striking similarity to that given at Classic.

James.

Perhaps they also look like this?:
http://http://bestgroomingtools.com/...c7f8dba1e9feab

I had one.

I no like it.

I sent it back.

I bought a TM starter strop


The moral of the story: It would seem that there is a offshore gulag work factory that is cranking out strops for OEM use. Slap your logo on there and sell away.

For just dollars more you can get the TM starter that is SOOOOOO nice!

When I tried to use that other strop it beat the living be-jumpers out of my edge, and made me leary of all strops (it was my first foray...)

You usually get what you pay for.

Except for a TM starter, in which case you get a remarkable bargain!

OK, so it is a popular style of strop. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the Illinois is a good strop for the price. I just thought, given Zeepk's reputation, that it was a bit suspicious (I mean, it reads as though Zeepk have plagiarized Classic's description).

James.

Illinois Razor Strop Co has for many years contracted out and made strops under many different brands. Dubl Duck for instance.

But just because a strop looks similar. How hard is it to cut out a similar looking piece of leather and handle? Anyone can purchase the strop hardware that IRS Co makes. And how difficult would it be to re-produce those as well?

I've never used a Zeepk, although I've read all the bad reviews. But how bad could their strops be? Unless the leather is absolute crap...But I highly doubt IRS Co would produce such a strop, even under contract.


Scott

Originally Posted by honedright

Illinois Razor Strop Co has for many years contracted out and made strops under many different brands. Dubl Duck for instance.

But just because a strop looks similar. How hard is it to cut out a similar looking piece of leather and handle? Anyone can purchase the strop hardware that IRS Co makes. And how difficult would it be to re-produce those as well?

I've never used a Zeepk, although I've read all the bad reviews. But how bad could their strops be? Unless the leather is absolute crap...But I highly doubt IRS Co would produce such a strop, even under contract.


Scott

Yeah, good point. I was more worried that Zeepk were ripping off Classic's description, but you're right.

James.

They are not the same strop.
I've had that model of the Illinois strop, and while it's not a luxury strop(anything by Tony would blow it away) it is still a decent strop and is quite usable.
I've heard such is not necessarily the case with the Zeepk copies.


John P.

I have a TM, Dovo, and an Illinois strop. I began using the Illinois to learn and develop a proper technique. I've used this strop for several months. So far, I see no reason to use the other strops as the Illinois strop is doing very well....... gets the job done.

In addition, I did own a ZEEPK STROP, and let me tell ya. there is NO COMPARISON with the Illinois strop. When the Zeepk arrived, I had to dismantel it as the canvas strop was put on backwards. Using the leather side was like driving on a rumble strip. Needless to say, it found the wastebasket soon thereafter. (btw, what can you expect for 8 dollars?)

LIMIT

Companies like that and other similar companies copy others work without much research into why something works. That is where the difference in quality of any tool lies. For the most part there are only so many ways to design a paddle or hanging strop. They will all be very similar. Illinois, Dovo, Heirloom, Hand American, Zeepek all produce a similar looking item. What differs it what leather we use, it's suppleness, the surface quality of that leather and cosmtic harmony. For the most part all of the biggies will provide a very usable and well made item, hands down. We all use similar designs but work to improve what we do and how it works.

Typically the budget places simply copy what they see...a piece of leather shaped like a strop....any leather, hard leather, bumpy leather....no regard for why it works. You may have seen some familar looking 4 sided paddles on eBay as well...right down to the golden, honey colored leather I used.

Mass production is another difference. Dovo, Illinois, etc... are big producers with factories or buying under contract from a leather fabricator. Things are made to their design and inspection before final sale gives the customer a quality part. For some of them this works better than others. When Illinois gets it right they produce a fine strop, but when I was a dealer for them I sent a lot back to them as well.

Others like myself and Hand American are small makers. I make your strop and I'm pretty sure Keith makes what he sells or if he has employees still has his hand on them too. I have help as well but only on things like handles, etc... We don't always get thing 100% right but when you make it and your name is on it one does try much harder I think.


Tony

Keith makes the strops himself. A quote from an email:

"it's a strop order and I make those personally."

Eric,
That is what I thought but was not sure how large his operation was.

Tony