Thread: Did Illinois ever make Cordovan strops?

I just recently purchased a vintage Illinois strop and based on feel I'm wondering if it might be Cordovan. It is a "Barber's Delight" and Scottish Tanned leather; I don't recall the model number just now. Did Illinois ever use shell leather back in the day?

If it's scottish tanned it's probably not Cordovan. Whether they made them I don't know.

I would imagine that they did, particularly back in the 1960s and prior. Just so many old barber strops were, if not cordovan shell, horsehide. My impression is that back in the old days between glue factories and leather processors there was plenty of the stuff to go around. I'd bet it was more reasonably priced for the manufacturers than bovine was in those days. When my parents were kids there were still plenty of horse drawn wagons used in cities around the country. Also other sources for horsehide. When my parents were kids there were plenty of horse drawn wagons still used in cities for various things.

Is the strop thin and has a finish that is smooth like patent leather?

Bob

I will try to take a pic of it later. It seems the same thickness as my other shell strop. I wanna say the number is 6540. I can't believe the deals you can get on vintage strops. They may have some blemishes but they are completely functional.

I thought I read that even the 835 I had with the embossed horse head stamp on it,
It was still only meant to be cow hide not horse let alone shell cordovan

it is only about 1/16" thick and very soft and smooth
A great little strop I passed on to my son in law

Correct me if I am wrong but I do not think Cordovan is a type of leather,all is made from horse shell granted.
Cordovan may be used only for the color and the tanning process.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Correct me if I am wrong but I do not think Cordovan is a type of leather,all is made from horse shell granted.
Cordovan may be used only for the color and the tanning process.

I think you're right Bill, it names the process they use on the leather IIRC ..... but ...... all horsehide is not shell. That comes from a particular area of the horse's butt, and is tougher than the adjoining areas of the hide. At least that is my understanding from memory.

Cordovan and shell are synonymous for the most part. Shell refers to the hide with the fibrous leather in the rump and shell cordovan is the finished leather. Now I am no leather expert, but that is how I understood it; please correct me if I'm wrong. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_cordovan. There's the Wiki page but wiki is hardly Cannon either.

Shell is the butt cheek leather correct
You may be right about the cordovan being the precess Bill
not sure myself