Thread: Looking at Strops

In what way is this any better that what you already have? A bad or damaged strop can microchip your edge, requiring honing to repair. As has been stated before, the strop is your most important piece of equipment for maintenance. In my opinion, the quality of strop is as important - if not more so - than the quality of the quality of the razor itself. The two vintage strops you have presented so far aren't even worth considering as first-line strops, and the proprietor of the shop you mention has been banned from this forum for deceptive practices, as best I recall. Keep using your Whipped Dog strop and save your pennies for a quality strop from Straight Razor Designs, Larry Miller, etc.


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If you really want to up your game, for a bit more you can get a Kanayama shell cordovan strop, one of the very best made anywhere. There are a multitude of posts on this forum extolling the unrivaled quality and feel of these strops., Indeed, many of us own more than one. Here is their entry level No. 10000, which is the same material as all of their strops, just thinner.

KANOYAMA Kanayama Cordovan #10000 Razor Strop

Originally Posted by sqzbxr

In what way is this any better that what you already have? A bad or damaged strop can microchip your edge, requiring honing to repair. As has been stated before, the strop is your most important piece of equipment for maintenance. In my opinion, the quality of strop is as important - if not more so - than the quality of the quality of the razor itself. The two vintage strops you have presented so far aren't even worth considering as first-line strops, and the proprietor of the shop you mention has been banned from this forum for deceptive practices, as best I recall. Keep using your Whipped Dog strop and save your pennies for a quality strop from Straight Razor Designs, Larry Miller, etc.


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Idk who Larry Miller is but I just bought a Tony Miller strop.

Google Certifyd Deep Cut strop and you'll see what a quality strop it is.... my question was gauging the leather condition from pictures which is hard to do.

I'm super glad to know that guy may have a bad rep

Thank you

Originally Posted by bvanfossen

Idk who Larry Miller is but I just bought a Tony Miller strop.

Google Certifyd Deep Cut strop and you'll see what a quality strop it is.... my question was gauging the leather condition from pictures which is hard to do.

I'm super glad to know that guy may have a bad rep

Thank you

Mental error - I meant to say Tony Miller (Heirloom Strop Co.). My issue with grooved surface strops is that dirt and impurities that can damage the edge can accumulate in the grooves, the grooves themselves are an edge that can damage the razor's edge, that they create potential crack zones, that they violate the integrity of the surface of the leather, and that they can conceal (or at least make difficult to spot) flaws in the leather that would otherwise cause it to be rejected. In my opinion, these types of strops were made as a marketing ploy, to distinguish their product from the competition and to provide a dubious 'benefit' to the user. When you recall that the strop's job is to provide the final straightening and burnishing of the working edge, an area so small it requires at least 1000x magnification to actually see, then the only strop surface that makes sense to use is the smoothest possible leather of the finest quality.

Originally Posted by sqzbxr

Mental error - I meant to say Tony Miller (Heirloom Strop Co.). My issue with grooved surface strops is that dirt and impurities that can damage the edge can accumulate in the grooves, the grooves themselves are an edge that can damage the razor's edge, that they create potential crack zones, that they violate the integrity of the surface of the leather, and that they can conceal (or at least make difficult to spot) flaws in the leather that would otherwise cause it to be rejected. In my opinion, these types of strops were made as a marketing ploy, to distinguish their product from the competition and to provide a dubious 'benefit' to the user. When you recall that the strop's job is to provide the final straightening and burnishing of the working edge, an area so small it requires at least 1000x magnification to actually see, then the only strop surface that makes sense to use is the smoothest possible leather of the finest quality.

That's sound information. Although I don't believe the Russian diamond cut leather, which is the back, was designed to strop on. I believe they layed claim that it effected the feel to the front stropping side.

I'm super excited to get my TM strop! I've been reading lots of great things about them.

My Tony Miller is about 8 - 10 years old, and a superb performer. As I recall the material is European saddle leather, very smooth and slick. The second material is his original linen, which is also superb. All of my other strops are either English bridle leather (SRD and Griffith's) or shell cordovan (Kanayama #3, #50000, and #80000). You definitely won't go wrong with yours.

Originally Posted by sqzbxr

My Tony Miller is about 8 - 10 years old, and a superb performer. As I recall the material is European saddle leather, very smooth and slick. The second material is his original linen, which is also superb. All of my other strops are either English bridle leather (SRD and Griffith's) or shell cordovan (Kanayama #3, #50000, and #80000). You definitely won't go wrong with yours.

That's just awesome. I'm looking forward to having a good strop.
after I use it a while I'll be looking to try cordovan.