Thread: Illinois Razor Strop Company

I hope Mr. Simon takes my suggestion to heart and does record his knowledge for posterity. It would be an invaluable resource to us all.

I thought it interesting, he did lament a bit on the decreased quality of the current IRC strops due in part to the inavailability of some materials such as linen hose and cordovan shell.

Along those lines, he mentioned that the cordovan strops were the best ever produced for hollow ground razors, and that the Russian strop is best for wedges, "that were used in schools," due to the increased draw.
So after hearing that, I sent an email off to the Horween Leather Company asking about their "genuine cordovan shell" leather. I don't know if anyone in this group has talked to them yet, but I was interested to know if their current product is suitable for strops. This is the same company that supplied leather to IRS in 1907.

Also, regarding his suggestion on using "heavy" lather, I'm re-exploring it's use as a breaking-in / conditionng treatment for strops. I've done the breaking-in using lather and a bottle, but never the overnight treatment. So last night I covered my leather strop with very thick lather (William's) and let it sit until this morning. I actually like the results. I'm guessing the sodium cocoate and tallowate, as well as the glycerine in William's is good for the leather. I think it also improved the draw on the strop. I also like the "back-to-basics" feel of using the lather.

Scott

Scott,
The Cordovan leather is basicaly from the cheeks of a horses butt. You get two oval pieces, one from each cheek. It is very expensive leather and only yieldsan oval roughly 14" x 18" or so. Pretty much just enough to do a single very nice dress shoe per cheek. Last price I got on really nice stuff was about $70 per oval and it is still not enough to make a single good strop from.

I did try other similar horse leather pieces but the surface markings and cracking didn't yield enough to make it a worthwile route. I got maybe 2 decent strips cut from a $35 to $40 piece.

Tony Miller

I understand that the 24" cordovan strops were made from leather that came from large draft horses which provided the size required. Have the number of draft horses (Percheons, Clydesdales) dwindled that much in the last century?

Scott

Geeeez . . . and all this time I've been feeling bad for the badgers!

Originally Posted by honedright

I understand that the 24" cordovan strops were made from leather that came from large draft horses which provided the size required. Have the number of draft horses (Percheons, Clydesdales) dwindled that much in the last century?

Scott

I think the uses for the horses have changed and therefore the availablity of the hides. In early times, well into the 1900s draft horses were used for much hauling as well as agricultural use in plowing, etc... They were work horses, beasts of burden really and when the were retired or died their meat and hides were used for whatever they could. Today, although the magnificent horses are still plentiful they are privately owned on farms and for show. When they pass or are put down they would rarely be sold having basically serving as pets and loved by someone.

My daughter owns 7 quarter horses and they are as dear to her as any house pet and animals like this never enter the recycling market when they die.

Tony

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

My daughter owns 7 quarter horses and they are as dear to her as any house pet and animals like this never enter the recycling market when they die.

Do you think your daughter would notice if just a strip of hide were missing one morning?

Tony, One thing I've been meaning to ask you. The Illinois strops I've seen have separate handles for the canvas and the leather, allowing them to be pulled taut individually. The strop I got from you (which I like very much) has the canvas and leather attached at both ends, so the shorter one will be pulled tight but the (ever so slightly) longer one will have some slack. Why did you choose this design?

Tony, what about linen hose? Have you tried sourcing that?

I use linen (cotton) on all of my strops. I used to buy a certian weight from Tilly when it was available and have finally found a direct source right from the mill. I have a variety of weights and widths. Not easy stuff to find.

The material Illinois uses is flat weave, like mine, not tubular but they inpregnate or coat it to achieve the super stiff feel. Mine has a firm body but a soft napp to it. I also have one now that has a slicker finish much like it has been waxed but it is simply a smooth "ironed" type finish.

It seems that quite a variety of material will work. Jemico strops use a very soft loose weave linen, Illinois uses what feels like a hard starched material and mine is like Baby Bear's Porridge......."just right" <g>.

Tony

Originally Posted by Howard Wallace

The strop I got from you (which I like very much) has the canvas and leather attached at both ends, so the shorter one will be pulled tight but the (ever so slightly) longer one will have some slack. Why did you choose this design?

Howard,

In different climates and humidity the two pieces of the strop may seem slightly different. The idea is to pull just enough that both become taught and you will have the correct tension. If for some reason one has stretched too much and you cannot get them taught let me take a look at it and make it work for you. All of mine are still fine but occasionally a piece may have more give in it than others.

I am adding some different hardware options on my strops, mainly the more basic models to make them lok even nicer. I may change the bottom attachment though now that I hear about this.

Thanks,
Tony

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

In different climates and humidity the two pieces of the strop may seem slightly different. The idea is to pull just enough that both become taught and you will have the correct tension. If for some reason one has stretched too much and you cannot get them taught let me take a look at it and make it work for you. All of mine are still fine but occasionally a piece may have more give in it than others.

Tony,

On my strop the linen is slightly shorter than the leather, so the leather never becomes completely taut. However, the strop still functions well to keep my razors sharp, and that's all I ask of it. I wouldn't take the trouble, nor bother you, to adjust it.

An easy adjustment feature might be something to consider when you're thinking of new designs though.