Thread: Choices.... Choices

This is the quote I had in my head when refering to cost........

"There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey. It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better."
John Ruskin (1819-1900)

Originally Posted by Jnatcat

he advised that draw is very subjective and he also backs both his Roo and Spanish HH with an identical piece of HH that is the same thickness as the stropping surface and possibly will affect draw,

I'm not arguing it, but I cannot imagine how the backing could have any effect on the draw.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I'm not arguing it, but I cannot imagine how the backing could have any effect on the draw.

Maybe if you use 500lbs of pressure on the strop the backing might effect it.

Otherwise is won't.

I am guessing a Roo strop is not going to suit my taste, all I have ever used in the past several years is Fast Bridle, English Bridle, Oil Tanned, Cordovan, Spanish HH, Italian HH and all of these have what I would call a fast easy to glassy draw or lack of, the oil tanned is the heaviest but comparing the Roo strop to it is no comaparsion as the Roo is much heavier, I plan on using it for several more days but I am thinking it's not going to suit me and I will move on to testing of the Spanish HH and Cordovan.

How does the Roo compare to Latigo? I find Latigo to have a very heavy draw (at least the one I have does) and I'm hoping the Roo is lighter than that. Somewhere between the Latigo and the horsehide.

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a couple of Alastairs' strops.

Originally Posted by Jlander

How does the Roo compare to Latigo? I find Latigo to have a very heavy draw (at least the one I have does) and I'm hoping the Roo is lighter than that. Somewhere between the Latigo and the horsehide.

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a couple of Alastairs' strops.

Have never used Latigo so honestly can't answer that, my very first strop was a Tony Miller HH and then a Kanayama 70000 and between those two that got the wheels going which lead to oil tanned, Italian HH, Spanish HH, Fas Bridle, Cordovan, Roo, English Bridle, Notovan etc... I truly could no tell you the difference between Italian HH and Spanish HH but can tell you there is a difference between Westholme Cordovan and Kanayama Cordovan but according to Alastair the Kanayama Strops are not Cordovan in the true sense that comes from Horween so when someone asked what I use to maintain a straight razor I tell them a leather strop as I honestly believe any quality leather will do the job and one leather does not impart a better edge over another but that is my unprofessional opinion but then again I have stropped on newspaper as a test and it did a decent job.

I just received the 3-inch Red Latigo I ordered from SRD! Definitely the nicest strop Ive owned! Great piece of leather, canvas and super workmanship! Ill be using this for a long time!

Just a quick update, I have moved from the Kangaroo to Italian HH, the Roo althought very nice just has way to much draw for my preference so am testing the HH for the next 10-14 days.

I honestly wanted to like the Roo as I don't have a Roo strop but depending on the razor used it's almost magnetic, i know strop draw is very subjective and what I consider medium heavy another user might consider light medium but if a strop is nor comfortable fore the end user and you end up stropping incorrectly it's not going you do your razor or strop any good, Alsatair from Westhome advised that the Italian HH is supposed to have a heavier draw but he backed it with veg tanned HH to add some rigidness to it and still remain flexible but stated doing so may have taken away some of the draw.

So after testing this one I will move on to his cordovan

You mentioned the Westholme Cordovan has half the draw of. a Kanayama. What does one of those Westholmes cost, that are the direct competitor for say a Kanayama #70000, ($198.00) I'd say they would be terrific to strop on being so slick. I'd be interested for sure, sounds sensational.

Originally Posted by bobski

You mentioned the Westholme Cordovan has half the draw of. a Kanayama. What does one of those Westholmes cost, that are the direct competitor for say a Kanayama #70000, ($198.00) I'd say they would be terrific to strop on being so slick. I'd be interested for sure, sounds sensational.

Westholme Cordovan will be right at $300+ with D rings ( stuffed handles more $$ ) not cheap but very pretty !!