Thread: C-MON strop

Hi, I'm new to straight razor shaving and I'm just starting to collect a kit. I just picked up this strop from an antique store in my town. It's a C-MON Master shell strop and appears to be in new unused condition, it even had a paper wrap around it! I bought it because I have a leather worker friend who works with shell cordovan and he's told me how much the stuff costs and why it's so good, other than that I'm not aware of why cordovan is a good strop. Plus it was only $35. I'm wondering what I've got here and what are the advantages of cordovan?

The top and the ends look very serviceable, if the middle looks that good it will be well worthwhile to have.

That is a nice strop. Watch a few videos and practice technique with a blunt butter knife before attempting to use it on a straight. Would be a shame to carve it up while you are learning.

Here's a full length shot.

A great strop at a GREAT bargain! Vintage shell strops still in the paper are NOT cheap. My C-MON strop is my second favorite second only to my Koken. A Kanayama strop will run you well over a hundred dollars brand new and I just sold mine to my friend yesterday because it didn't compare with the vintage ones IMO. At least mine didn't.
Take good care of your C-MON. If/when you nick it, it can be sanded out and scratches can sometimes be rubbed out of shell. It is an amazing material.

I've got the exact same strop. Cordovan is also a 'finish', so if a strop is marked cordovan it isn't necessarily shell. The shell isn't really the same as the hide. If I understand it correctly, the shell is composed of muscle in the hip area of the horse. It is tougher than hide, and if cared for properly, will last a couple of lifetimes. Supposed to be the premium stuff for a razor strop.

Edit ; This post here, by the late Neil Miller is a brief explanation.