Thread: Choices.... Choices

Thanks, I sent off an email to get their price list, so I am looking forward to seeing what's available. Ideally I'd be looking for something that has that slick draw. I'm not fussy about fancy handles, but any thing with half the draw of a #70000 Kanayama would be terrific.

Originally Posted by bobski

Thanks, I sent off an email to get their price list, so I am looking forward to seeing what's available. Ideally I'd be looking for something that has that slick draw. I'm not fussy about fancy handles, but any thing with half the draw of a #70000 Kanayama would be terrific.

The Cordovan with stuffed handles will cost the most, it's not that the stuffed handles add that much material they are apparently labor hogs to make and be advised the handles are very robust as in hard and I honestly am not sure I would go with the stuffed handles as I usually when stropping grab both linen/leather together and just flip as I am using and it's pretty easy to do with D rings or three ply handles but the stuffed handles seem awkward doing this, at least to me.

Well Gents another strop tested and done with and now am moving onto the shell cordovan, I already have the Kangaroo and Italian HH boxed up and they will be heading back with Alastair's personal Shell Cordovan strop that he was so generous to send me

I have lots of strops, not as many as some but honestly who needs more than a couple, well I have about 8 and they vary from TM Spanish HH, TM Fast Bridle, TM Oil Tanned, Kanayama Cordovan, Scrupleworks Oil Tanned, Rasurpur Paddles etc...

Well in my quest to try different materials to see what I favor the most Alastair from Westholme was kind enough to send me three strops to test, well long story short I don't personally care for the Roo as it has in my opinion a pretty magnetic draw and this is contrary to what others have said about this material but I believe draw is all relative to each user and what is heavy or light to one may not be that for another user, I used the Roo for about a week to ten days and just decided not for me and moved to the Italian HH, again it's one beautiful piece of work with great attention to detail with stuffed handles and top quality workmanship but after about a week it to does not exhibit what I want in a strop, depending on whether I warm the leather first or the razor has a particular grind the draw is what I would call a medium and if warmed with a heavier grind exhibits a medium + draw, not nearly the draw of the Roo but to be honest to heavy for me.

I found the draw on the Italian HH and Spanish HH to be quite different from each other, grant it these two strops are from different vendors and one is Italian and one is Spanish ( not sure the difference ) anyway the Spanish HH has a very velvety feel after a few passes very similar to my Kanayama but by no means can it be classed as cordovan but from my understanding Kanayama strops are not what Horween would classify as cordovan by their standards as it's processed quite differently.

I always thought I wanted a strop that was what I call a medium draw leaning just a small amount towards the heavy side but as I have been using and comparing my strops to various others I am finally figuring out that I like strops still on the medium side but leaning towards the lighter side, so with all my rambling I am now testing the Westholme Shell and to be honest I am thinking it's going to be what I order from Alastair and yes it happens to be the most expensive, I honestly was hoping that I would have liked the Roo as I don't have one in my arsenal but it's not suited to my taste.

So in closing please don't take my non scientific testing of strops as the tell all story that shell cordovan, oil tanned or certain types of HH as the only thing you should be looking at, my suggestion is to try lots of different leathers from different makers to see what you like and or dislike as one oil tanned or cordovan from one maker may and most likely will be different from one another, are all strops created equal.... No, but you have to find one that allows you to maintain the correct stropping action to maintain the edge that you or someone else has put on your razor(s) because if use a strop that you cannot maintain control over using it will won't do you, your razor or your strop any good.

Thanks Jnatcat, great info there as not many get to try all the variants. I'm still pondering Alistair's product/price list, but I am leaning towards the barber's end 3 Inch shell Cordovan, he doesn't mention the length of his strops, can you help with that? as for colour, I'd like a darker one, not black but the next one. True they cost a bit, but quality is what it is. No doubt I'll pull the trigger soon.

Recent exchange with Alastair....

"16" - 17" of clear stropping area is right about my standard size for 3" width strops with stuffed handles".

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Jlander

Recent exchange with Alastair....

"16" - 17" of clear stropping area is right about my standard size for 3" width strops with stuffed handles".

Hope this helps.

Sorry it took me so long to relay on the size guys, been working the back shift this week.... anyway as Jlander advised it is 16-17" but thats from tip of tab to tip of tab on the stuffed handled version and the barber end version is 21" but that is from tip of tab to the end so on both you will loose a few inches, there is no possible chance you could hit metal on the strops but I don't want to ride up on the end tabs either so i would say you have 15"16" with handles and 17" with "Barber Ends which for me is pleanty of area

Started this process with Alastair many, many months ago by him sending me all his strops for testing including his personal cordovan, well today recieived my strop pictures of my completed cordovan with custom D rings and Chicago screws, I had made lots of changes and Alastair does not do this full time so i told him take his time and then like I said I made a few changes from his normal strop so was at the mercy of his supplier of parts but what a great looking strop.

Looks like a fine strop, Jnatcat. I'm interested in your opinion on the 2nd piece, it looks great, how does it go, doing its job? I can only imagine it beats the canvas on the Kanayama, as most 2nd pieces do. It's on the public record that a Kanayama #70000 is $198USD. So for a Westholme like yours what are we looking at. If it's a commercial decision by Westholme to hold back some special orders that's fine, ball park would be good. But sure looks nice.

Howee! That fabric looks splendid as well. Nice!

Originally Posted by bobski

Looks like a fine strop, Jnatcat. I'm interested in your opinion on the 2nd piece, it looks great, how does it go, doing its job? I can only imagine it beats the canvas on the Kanayama, as most 2nd pieces do. It's on the public record that a Kanayama #70000 is $198USD. So for a Westholme like yours what are we looking at. If it's a commercial decision by Westholme to hold back some special orders that's fine, ball park would be good. But sure looks nice.

The strop Alastair completed for me was for the most part a custom order, his strops that he sent to me for testing are already above nice and his attention to detail and craftsmanship is outstanding but as we chatted back and fourth over many months and him checking with his suppliers on hardware and my desire to want not only the best leather and linen materials i wanted unique compared to other strops and this cordovan with natural linen is whatwe decided on, we all know that any quality leather can be used to strop on and it can maintain a good edge but I wanted something that stood out and was unique and we all know that unique and custom made comes with a price, most would have never paid what I paid for this strop especially since one can get a good quality strop for around $100 but i wanted different and wanted the best materials possible so with that said this one was considerably more than a Kanayama 70000 which I have and love butlike most don't like the cotton second piece, the natural linen Alastair uses is an oustanding piece to strop on and does a fine job of keeeping an edge going.