Thread: For me, Latigo beats horsehide

Honed up a new razor Friday, packed it up and headed for my weekend getaway. I have a horsehide strop there. Gave the razor a bunch of passes on the canvas, and on the buffed horsehide. The edge was pretty good---not bad, but not quite *there* in both HHT and shave quality (I'm kinda picky...).

Got home last night and broke out the latigo. A few laps on that, and the HHT was up to "ninja whisper silent" mode. A definitely noticable improvement.


I had hit up the buffed horsehide numerous times over the weekend, bu the edge didn't seem to progress. A few licks on the latigo, and it now seems to be in the zone...


I've noticed this before on other razors as well. Perhaps horshide can maintain an edge once it's reached the pinnacle, but for me, it doesn't seem to want to help to actually get it there. I guess that's a good sales pitch for the tri-strop!

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Perhaps horshide can maintain an edge once it's reached the pinnacle, but for me, it doesn't seem to want to help to actually get it there.

That's what the linen is for...

Originally Posted by mparker762

That's what the linen is for...

Nope.

My horsehide has a nice canvas (it came white pasted as well), but that didn't round it into shape without the latigo. I really worked it a few times as well. Canvas-horsehide, canvas-horsehide...but it never got there. I thought perhaps I needed to revert to the crome-ox or something when I got home, but hit the latigo first just to see what the difference may be.

A world of difference in my case.

I like the Latigo for everyday use, but for after honing I haven't been able to beat the #827 Illinois Russian, it just seems to smooth out the just honed edges the best... so far anyway....

Different strokes for different folks I guess...

I agree that Latigo is a great all round leather for strops but, saying it is better than horse is unfair. horse can be treated in differing ways to gain varied surfaces to suit the steel of the razor or its place in a sharpening/stropping routine. Latigo can not be worked like this so can only be used "as is". I have a selection of horse strops that range from 0 draw to higher than Latigo with variations of surface texture in between. I like the Latigo/horse combo for the simple fact that you have the best of both worlds in the one strop.

PuFF

You can certainly also buff latigo. My old "starter" strop recieved that treatment and works great (I also have an un-modified Artisan latigo). It was buffed due to the fact that I over treated it with neatsfoot oil, and thus it had about as little draw as a smooth horsehide.

So, in my experience latigo can be worked into many surface grades as well.

My horsehide is lightly buffed with 600grit, so it does have some draw to it. That is why I have been surprised by the difference in results I have been getting.

I seem to recall a thread or two (perhaps more?) on the issue of "one type of leather versus another". However, as the chance presented itself again I will respond here.
Horse > cow, and as I know latigo is usually from the moomoo's.
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I was using a latigo strop the other day and I could feel the difference on my skin in sharpness as I was shaving.
Unlike when I use my favourite horse hide, quite unlike it in fact as when I do just that it's like there are little ninjas using lightsabers to cut my beard.

Also I just won ~400 bucks in poker tonight.
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In-between the asterisk there is one true statement and one false. But whatever the outcome you deem which, I prefer my horsehide strop.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Nope.

My horsehide has a nice canvas (it came white pasted as well), but that didn't round it into shape without the latigo. I really worked it a few times as well. Canvas-horsehide, canvas-horsehide...but it never got there. I thought perhaps I needed to revert to the crome-ox or something when I got home, but hit the latigo first just to see what the difference may be.

A world of difference in my case.

Horses for courses it would seem. Latigo does not improve the sharpness of the razor for me at all - I find it difficult to strop on latigo without using pressure to keep the razor down, or else the razor will hop about. But linen will polish up the edge beautifully.

Needless to say I prefer horsehide.

Horse hide when oiled enough will give the same effect as Latigo. You can't make Latigo like horse hide.
No one leather is better than the other, they are just different and they can each fit a role the user decides.
I have said before that Latigo is a great 1st stage strop for it's ability to draw out the edge. Horse un treated can do this but I find it's not so quick about it. Treated Horse hide can match latigo in this respect but doing this if it is your only strop will stop the user seeing the finish a well broken in piece of horse hide can give. This is why I recommend the latigo/horse combo as a good starter strop.
Tonys Horse hide strop when dressed corectly is a great product and up there with some of the old horse stops I own. His Latigo when dressed well is as good as any old russian finish stop I own and I own a lot of strops.

PuFF

I've tried Linen/Leather, but about a month ago I bought a used Tony Miller Horsehide/Latigo strop off a member here, and MAN I love that thing. It is so well made that I doubt I'll ever have (or want) to buy another - My strop aquisition disorder was stopped in one fell swoop!