Thread: Kanayama #3 where to go from there

Originally Posted by dta116

I only wanted to know if your Red Imp had a number?

Yes it's a 700.

Originally Posted by dta116

There is most certainly a difference in the strop feel between a Kanayama and a lesser strop, I know because I have many.

It is the material difference, It deos not have to be a Kanayama, but a Cordovan Shell strop cost more and feels better to me than a Latigo or Horsehide.

I am not talking about what does the job. You are correct that you can get just as good a shave from most quality strops, but it's the pleasure of getting there is what I am talking about.

+1 to this. A Yugo will get you from A to B (most times) but using a Mercedes 500SL is infinitely so much nicer of an experience. An extreme example, but there is a point in there somewhere... Of course there is a point of diminishing returns after a while. But I would agree that there is a definite difference between most $65 strops and most $2-300 strops in the experience.

As another comparison, I choose to keep my shave equipment in a nice custom made shelf instead of stacked on my bathroom counter. Both are capable of storing my shave accoutrements. But the shelf is so much nicer to look at!

Your final leather should not be abrasive.

So the only difference in the strops can be length, width, texture, draw, Thickness and finish.

No performance gains will ever be got between leathers. Your leather would have to be abrasive for that to happen.


The linen counterpart on the other hand can affect the razor. Even more so with compounds. So get the best quality linen, and a good quality leather.

Anything claiming to be a better stropping material for your final leather is hyperbole and the gains will be ephemeral. You are by large grading the audible and tactile feedback and converting that into illusional gains.

I don't believe anyone is claiming gains using different leathers. I claim I would rather strop on a Kanayama than a cowhide or a heavier draw leather. This is a preference. I also would rather drive a Jag than a Chevy, they will both get me there.

Everything is abrasive to some degree. What purpose would the strop be in the scheme of things. That is no illusion. Most people would rather shave with a stropped razor than not.

Originally Posted by Iceni

Your final leather should not be abrasive.

So the only difference in the strops can be length, width, texture, draw, Thickness and finish.

No performance gains will ever be got between leathers. Your leather would have to be abrasive for that to happen.


The linen counterpart on the other hand can affect the razor. Even more so with compounds. So get the best quality linen, and a good quality leather.

Anything claiming to be a better stropping material for your final leather is hyperbole and the gains will be ephemeral. You are by large grading the audible and tactile feedback and converting that into illusional gains.

Once I experienced the Kanayama #3 I stopped there. Yes, I thought of procuring a higher end strop from this excellent craftsman but no need really because the #3 simply does it for me.

Originally Posted by Iceni

Your final leather should not be abrasive.

So the only difference in the strops can be length, width, texture, draw, Thickness and finish.

No performance gains will ever be got between leathers. Your leather would have to be abrasive for that to happen.


The linen counterpart on the other hand can affect the razor. Even more so with compounds. So get the best quality linen, and a good quality leather.

Anything claiming to be a better stropping material for your final leather is hyperbole and the gains will be ephemeral. You are by large grading the audible and tactile feedback and converting that into illusional gains.

Excuse me, but I thought I should respond with a huge rebuke - RUBBISH!

I thought that you may have read what many others here have posted - obviously not.

Excuse me, but I thought I should respond with a huge rebuke - RUBBISH!

I thought that you may have read what many others here have posted - obviously not.

Forgive my impertinence.

If my post is in some way incorrect then I would expect it to be corrected in a logical and debated manner. To be censured without debate is not a solution.

If I my statement is incorrect then correct it. We are all here to be educated.

Gentlemen,

I feel this conversation is heading toward an argument — and an argument kills a conversation. Please remember to maintain the forum's state of civility in your point and counter point discussion. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Iceni

Your final leather should not be abrasive.

I do not agree, I believe all leather and finishes available in what we would commonly call strops are abrasive to some extent and that includes cordovan leather.

So the only difference in the strops can be length, width, texture, draw, Thickness and finish.

Agree with that statement.

No performance gains will ever be got between leathers. Your leather would have to be abrasive for that to happen.

Disagree completely see my first remark here.


The linen counterpart on the other hand can affect the razor. Even more so with compounds. So get the best quality linen, and a good quality leather.

Natural (real) linen strops are rare in the offerings available today. I do agree that natural linen of the best quality is head and shoulders above the other most commonly offered materials and I do not use any "treatments" on my linen strops..

Anything claiming to be a better stropping material for your final leather is hyperbole and the gains will be ephemeral. You are by large grading the audible and tactile feedback and converting that into illusional gains.

Again I disagree with you completely, almost. Of course the audible and tactile feedback is different with different leathers and finishes but I most certainly believe that the gains to the edge of my straight razors is real and I can feel the difference on my skin as I shave.

So much of shaving is subjective and one has to acknowledge that. Absolutes can be folly and that includes my beliefs. I do however support that there are certain beliefs that
will ring true in a majority of straight razor shavers with several years of experience.

thebigspendur says any quality strop will basically do the same thing. I tend to agree with that, speaking of the leather component here. OTOH, having a dozen or so vintage, high quality pro barber strops, like any normal person, plus strops from SRD, Tony Miller, Neil Miller (no relation) , HandAmerican and a Kanayama 90,000 I sold, an 80,000 I kept, I think I can offer some comparison, though subjective it may be. There are differences in the aforementioned leathers, even if the end result is basically the same.

I say basically the same, because I think there may be some difference between the end result with one leather or another. Having had conversations on the telephone with Keith DeGrau (HandAmerican) I learned a bit about how Keith treats the leather that ends up in a HandAmerican strop. Since I had some horsehide, and was making my own strop, just for the heck of it, Keith gave me some tips. I would never have thought of these things in a zillion years, and don't ask because I'm sworn to secrecy. Anyway, AFAIC there are differences and if an individual has an assortment of the current high end strops mentioned above, they would have to see that if they cannot find a difference in outcome, there is certainly a difference in the various horsehide strops offered by the makers. Maybe it is my imagination, but I think there is a difference, subtle though it may be, in the end result as well. YMMV.