Westholme Impressions

Having been straight razor shaving for over a year now, I am settling in on all of my needs, likes, wants. I have my three or so favourite razors, my favourite strop, cream, soap, etc, and the others just kinda sit in my collection, hoping for love someday. This has really kept my shopping on razor stuff down to a minimum in the last few months, excepting searching for my few holy grail items to try.

In the strop world, my holy grail was a Cordovan strop. Heard a lot about them, and wanted to know about the hype.

Seeing a couple of Westholme Cordovan "factory seconds" on eBay, I went ahead and took the plunge, and paid the extra shipping to the USA.

The strop arrived today, but too late for the day's shave.

Some observations on this strop:

It's soft. Softer then any of my other 4 strops (a Tony Miller Artisan Steer, A Tony Miller plain chocolate, a SRD English Bridal, and an SRD Red Latigo), even though it is 3", it easily moves, bends and waves. Despite that, it is also a heavy strop. About as heavy as my 3" Tony Miller which just wants to strop razors, and not wave at anyone passing by. The heaviness, no doubt, comes from the stout hardware that is attached to my model: Two very generous D rings on one end, and the usual swivel and clip on the other. All top notch.

It's fast. OMG is it fast. Though I had shaved today, I just HAD to take it for a test drive... so I grabbed the Filarmonica #14 shorty I used for today's SOTD, and went to the natural linen. Dull, and gray like an English banker's suit, I didnt expect much from it, but was immediately and pleasantly surprised . So smooth. So silky smooth. Where has natural linen been all my life??

No, I mean it's really, really fast! With strokes on the linen done, I moved to the floppy leather side. Assuming nothing could be as fast as my Tony Miller Artisan Steer, I was once again shocked when the Spanish steel touched English Cordovan. Silck as ice. No draw that I could feel, period. It was like I was stropping on rump of new born baby.

And. I. Was. In. Love.

Having my final Holy Grail category of "Strop": satisfied, I stood there dumbfounded and wondered... what am I going to do with all of my other strops?

That's what I like fast slick strops, After I got my Kanayama the others don't get used much, I had thought my SRD Roo strop was fast, Glad you found one that's slick. Tc

I came away with the same impression after using my Neil Miller shell Cordovan and English linen strop the first time. There is not much else I would care to use except shell Cordovan and English linen to strop with. Glad you enjoyed the experience.

Bob

I think the Tony Miller Artsian will still find love, I am sure. But the others... I need to find a place to store them. Or sell them, perhaps, so they can find love anew from someone who doesnt have a Westholme Cordovan. :D

I can second that a shell Cordovan Westholme is a beautiful and well made strop. Of course they perform like a dream.Attachment 219842

Mine has Horween latigo as the second component.

This one is mine and no Dout the best strop I have along with my Neil Miller Attachment 219918