As ernestrome has said, availability is not good. I have had lots of horsehide samplkes here and very little was usable for strops. I made a few for myself and see no real advanatge especially considering what the costs would be. Cordovan is available but my check last wee showed a wholesale price of $90 per single oval which would be less than 17" long. No telling what the surface quality woulk be either.

Believe me, if there were an advantage and a ready source I would have already been on it <g>. To me any decent leather, with suitable draw and more importantly a good uniform surface free from creases and fat wrinkles as well as one not prone to cupping as happens on so many high dollar commercial strops is far more important.

Mine are not cheap but they will beat most Dovos out there, come with a free second so you don't risk the good one with learning nick AND are stood behind 100%. Wherever yo buy, hand made or commercial it is the surface more than the beast it came from that counts.

Tony