Thread: Pegasus Raven Strop

The thing is there is a lot of confusion over this cordovan thing. if you sell leather and you just call it cordovan that is just a color and nothing more. Shell is a specific type of material from the horse. Shell cordovan is the horse with a finish they call cordovan. I have a pair of shoes I bought probably 30 years ago and they are Horween shell cordovan and are black and I also have several watch straps made from Horween Shell Cordovan and some are brown and some are black. The Raven strop is black and has the exact finish and feel as the shoes and the watch strops.

I have the Kanayama 90K and my understanding is it's shell but it's nothing like the Horween stuff so the processing must be radically different to give it such different characteristics.

I'll put my hands up and say I'm wrong when I'm wrong.
The finish on the kanayama is outstanding, the best out of my Neil Miller shell cordovan and Westholme shell cordovan (which is black) I think my problem was that the kanayama shells are so thick, the shells I've seen from Howden and Clayton are so much thinner and cositantly so. Maybe the shells that are made from the kanaymas are from working horses.

Yea I,m not sure to be honest, so much info out there, but I have heard that the thicker Kanayamas are bonded to other leather to get it that thick, then again only what I've heard cause I know mine is the #3 and it's not bonded. I don't have a Westholme, but will soon, I just can't resist a great looking strop. As for the Raven I guess you would have to order it cause the stuff they have in stock is not shell just horsehide. So I throw up my hands and give up too. Tc

My 80,000 is thick and looking at if from the side, it is one piece. It certainly is a different look and feel from Neil Miller's shell, but looking at vintage (old !) strops I have that are labelled 'shell', some are thick while others are thin like Neil's.

I must say, I am in complete agreement with thebigspendur, as to what you read into a title. My #70000 Kanayama is clearly one piece of leather,beautifully crafted, suede piece and linen. Whilst I've not had the chance to see/use a pegasus Raven. It is difficult to make a case against the Kanayama Cordovan series of strops. In our modern world, we look at the forces of supply and demand. I'll wager that in 24 hours anyone in our forum can't find, more than one retailer in the world who have the whole range of Kanayama strops, such is the demand for them. Prove me wrong and name the retailer selling their range who has stock. A lot of members might just open their wallets.

Retailers must have them in stock. No back orders hoping for supply at a later date. If I want one today, where can I get one apart from Fendrihans?

Originally Posted by bobski

I must say, I am in complete agreement with thebigspendur, as to what you read into a title. My #70000 Kanayama is clearly one piece of leather,beautifully crafted, suede piece and linen. Whilst I've not had the chance to see/use a pegasus Raven. It is difficult to make a case against the Kanayama Cordovan series of strops. In our modern world, we look at the forces of supply and demand. I'll wager that in 24 hours anyone in our forum can't find, more than one retailer in the world who have the whole range of Kanayama strops, such is the demand for them. Prove me wrong and name the retailer selling their range who has stock. A lot of members might just open their wallets.

Retailers must have them in stock. No back orders hoping for supply at a later date. If I want one today, where can I get one apart from Fendrihans?

That situation has always existed with those strops. They are not factory made. It's just one old man making them one by one and only a handful of retailers carry them.

It's been 24 hours. And if one point in this discussion is correct it is that the Kanayama Cordovan Strops are excellent strops. I hear the neigh sayers, telling of their newspaper strops. Of course many options exist and are rightly, in receipt of lauding. The Kanayama story has a bit of human interest with the ageing maker only producing a few a week. Well, I still have my latigo, with the heavier draw, my English bridle, and two paddle strops, but without fear of contradiction, the use of the properly treated Kanayama canvas piece, followed by the suede piece, then the cordovan, give an edge in the bathroom where it counts.

This will not be THE answer, as each and every tannery that produces such leathers as shell cordovan will each have their own recipes and procedures. However, I did find the FAQ at one particular tannery of interest as they appear to specialize in "shell cordovan". Naturally, other tanneries will have different nuances to their "shell cordovan" and artisan strop makers choose what tannery provides them with their leather and they specify their requirements as to thickness etc.

In days gone by, "Russian" leather was considered one of the *best* leather for strops and I read a story about how the closely guarded secret on how to produce such leather came to NA at which point all NA tanneries could produce this type of leather.

In the end, one pays ones monies and ones takes ones choice in a strop. I don't think there is a *best* strop out there, only a *best* strop for you, and you will have to find it yourself.

That FAQ I read can be found here: Find out more about shell cordovan

Regards

Kaptain "Strops here, strops there... pretty soon Mrs. Zero is going to give ME the strap!" Zero

Skipper,
I bought one of the Russian strops 3 inch model. Cost me in AUD around $150 at the time a couple of years ago the exchange rate was non existent. It had no flesh side, no linen, Just a 2 foot piece of suede like leather. Now as I have seen in recent days, the secondary strop on the Kanayama Higher end strops known as the 'Suede' piece, is close to the feel of that Russian strop. Well, I mucked round with the Russian strop, couldn't get it right for me,never liked it and it's in the cupboard,where it'll stay. Maybe I'll put paste on it. As to the description of 'Shell''Cordovan' Horsehide. You are deadon,when you say different tanneries use differing techniques. As an example google Shell cordovan leather strops, and we see the Bison, the Horween (Around the same price as a #70000 Kanayama) I think it is fair tosay that the Horween models are more 'Classically Shell types' being thinner,but none the less excellent. The Kanayama in that range has a 3 piece setup. Boils down to preference, availability and price. In the end fellas, it's all from a horses ass....lol

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

That FAQ I read can be found here: Find out more about shell cordovan

So the link I originally gave, has gone to dudsville..... The tannery's website is still up, so perhaps there are some tidbits to be gleaned from it instead.

About cordovan leather

Regards

Christian aka

Kaptain" 404 not found" Zero