I've read some about these, found them at AFrames Tokyo, but all models are showing sold out. Also found a thread on another site that said the maker was about to retire. Have they taken the boat with the Elves to the West with the Unicorns?
Printable View
I've read some about these, found them at AFrames Tokyo, but all models are showing sold out. Also found a thread on another site that said the maker was about to retire. Have they taken the boat with the Elves to the West with the Unicorns?
IIRC Jim R posted a while back that the the maker would retire.
They aren't the easiest to get anymore, but I think Maxim at JNS still have some in stock.
Maxim normally has some stock. You can also contact the owner of aframes via email, Takeshi Aoki, and enquire as to when he expects kanayama strops to come in. There are other sellers as well possibly. They are a great, albeit, highly priced strop. I do not know if the original maker still does the work or if it is done with his oversight but they are being made. I would not recommend a kanayama as your first strop unless $ are not a concern.
Thanks gents, Ill try those .. and I haven't nicked the "practice strop" in a while, understand that the kanayamas are pretty thin
I emailed him about getting the 50k in stock, also to see if he was getting more. By the tone of his response (he said he carries them--in the present tense) I suspect & hope that they are still being made.
Kanayama strops back in stock at aframes PA23-250.
Maxim always keep several Kanayama's in stock. In fact, he is off to see him in Japan in a couple of weeks from what I understand
Thanks for the heads-up - Aframe's prices appear to be significantly less than JNS, much more-so with the former's "sale" prices .. though they have only one model # strop in common (the 8000). In that case Aframes is about $80 or around 24% less after backing out the VAT. Shipping is also quite a bit less dear for Americans anyway, since it is domestic - $15 for Priority from Aframe, $42+ for DHL International from JNS.
I've always (well for about a year) been lusting after a kanayama. These threads keep rekindling the desire to get one so I ordered the 80000 from Takeshi at aframes last week. Supposed to arrive tomorrow. I'll do another post with some pics when I get it.
badg3r you will need the 90000 now as well. : )
If you have a spare $300 why not find out, i think an experement (with someone elses equipment) could be in order.
STROP for Razor
Sometimes I really hate this place... :gth
Now my nightly strop progression of wool, linen, silk, #10000, #20000, #50000, #80000 and finishing on unicorn hide seems somehow inadequate.
They cost so much...every one that owns one,is a scared to nick it...so they just use it as a wall hanging decoration.... Why bother ????....LOL
I only throw the seal skin into the rotation on leap years. In 2016, it will be there. At the moment, I have it conditioning on a beach in the northern Pacific.
I wish I had known about those tear hones before I slaughtered him for a strop, thanks for keeping that lil secret until it was too late, Ed. I did however get a very unique set of "horn" scales...
Thax man. your going to love the strop,(could maybe bought some tooling for your new lathe tho :)
They are great strops, but you will kiss alot of frogs, before you find your true princess.
give me a Russian or scottish pure, real shell (Horse) ,But in the end, your shaving edge will be the same no matter what it is made from.
Above all, have fun.
When I look at his strops a simple question occurs to me and perhaps some of the strop makers could answer: if his strops are the stuff of legends, why aren't more leather workers using this material? Does he also breed the cattle? It is not magic, it is bovine or horse. I'm sure there are many craftsman who could make a long rectangle and attach some hardware....so again it must be his source of material....they are beautiful!
Yes, while I'm curious to see how it performs, my interest is in owning a nice craftsman piece, that has existed for so long, but may not anymore. Just like our brushes we buy, rare natural stones, gold wash, dozens of razors, etc, almost none of that performs better than a less expensive equivalent.
Just like my Neil Miller, I'm sure my stropping was fine before, but I never knew it could FEEL so different. A real pleasure in my mind :)
At least I have to say all this to myself to make an excuse for spending the money :)
I in no way mean to be critical and as far as this strop: the dude isn't going to live forever and who knows if he will be able to pass down his craft? I know that Japan makes some of their craftspeople National Treasures....I think there is some merit to this. I for one can't wait to hear about your experience.
Kanoyama's strop material is horsehide (cordovan).
Roger that, one of the most expensive leathers that is usually reserved for high end shoes. Other strop makers use cordovan, I guess I'm trying to really get the difference...I mean no other strop I've seen even looks like the Kanoyama, for one thing they look 3 or 4 times thicker.....does he have a special process for the leather? I'm sure he does not contact Horween and say send me some of your secret material that all of the other strop makers can't get...
As I understand it, real "shell" cordovan is a specific membrane from a horse's behind, which provides two shells of material per horse , just enough for a pair of shoes. There is also some sort of complex six month "magic" tanning involved (there's a short description here from the tannery Shell Cordovan « Horween Leather Company ). So material cost is way high.
I hope that seal skin only gets used on the 29th of feb, thats the only way you will keep the bad magic in check that gets created by the murdered unicorn horn scales.
The only good unicorn tear hones are the ones created from the tears of happiness of baby unicorns, gathered on a full moon on a leap year on the 29th of feb and only if the year is a prime number.you must travel counterclockwise to the magnetc north pole and freeze the tears there under the same moon that they were collected under.
I would think there are many sources for horsehide in general and cordovan in particular. Horses are slaughtered in many countries including the U.S. and I believe Japan imports horsemeat but I do not know if they slaughter. South America exports skin and meat as well as some European countries.
Kanoyama strops vary in thickness. I have no idea how he procures, processes his hides to include that amazing slick finish on his strops.
I've only seen one name: Horween a company that has been in business since 1905. I watched a video about the making of their leather and it does not look like a simple process. So the question remains unanswered for me: Is Naomi-san beginning his process with raw hide?