Thread: Kanayama/Kanoyama Llama Brand Strop Need Info

I have what I believe is a Kanayama or Kanoyama Llama Brand Strop. I have tried to research it on the Internet to find out how old it is and any other information but I am having trouble finding that information so I thought I would ask anyone here that can give me more information on the strop or send me in the right direction. I have seen ZethLent post about his visit to Japan and the photos that he has of the logo on the strop is the exact same logo on mine but mine has 928 on the bottom and all the new strop's that I see in his photo show a much higher number. The measurements on my strop is 2 feet long and 2 1/2 inches wide and 1/8 thick. Top has; LLama Brand with logo and REG. TRD.MARK the bottom of the strop has Sunbury Barber & beauty supply Co. Sunbury, PA ( 928 ) Things that I would like to know. #1 when was this strop made. #2 what grade of strop is this according to 928. #3 if 928 is no longer made what number has replaced it. #4 Was this strop exclusively made for Sunbury Barber & beauty supply Co. #5 How many of the 928 were made. #6 how much would this strop be worth in comparisons to the new stops prices (I do not want to sell it). #7 Does somebody have the e-mail address or contact information for Kanayama or Kanoyama Llama Brand Strop company. Thank you in advance for any help or information you can give me.

JimR is direct contact with Yoshimasa Naomi-the man behind these great strops. Not entirely sure if yours is from Kanayama but here's Jim's store:

Eastern Smooth: The Store!

My guess is it is not. LLama brand was widely used along with many others. If it was from Japan it would probably say it somewhere.

it has the exact same logo and is a registered trademark that is used by Kanoyama of Japan.

Yes its a registered trademark but where? It may be registered in Japan but that may not apply here especially in past days. A small time operator would not sue assuming the trademark was international.

You really need to check with our man in Japan who sells them when he returns from holiday. Then you'll know for sure.

Hmmm...Well, I'm sitting in the Airport Hilton in Tulsa Oklahoma (Yay free wi-fi!) so I can't find out at the moment, but I'll send the pics on to Naomi-san and see what he has to say--it'll probably be a few days though, the New Year's holiday is an important one in Japan.

I do know he's made custom labeled strops for shops in Japan, but it seems unlikely that he's made them for a place in PA.

Can you post a pic of the linen? He uses a pretty distinctive one...

The ebay listing

By the look of the linen, it's not a Kanoyama.

I am trying to identify the leather LLama strop. I'm sure as old as this strop is Naomi-san probably did not make any linen to go with it at the time. Plus there is no LLama trademark on the linen. It has a different logo on it kind of a English royalty logo as Ookla has suggested the linen is not Kanoyama. JimR, I appreciate any information you can find out for me. I am hoping that it is one Naomi-san early strop's and that Sunbury Barber & beauty supply Co ordered several of these and had them imported to the US. This strop does have a very nice feel to it, it is definitely good quality made leather no matter what the outcome is. Thanks again everybody for your input, I guess we'll wait and hear from the master craftsman himself if this is one of his or his family's strops.

Well, I sent the pics on to Naomi-san and apparently, this is NOT an early Kanayama. Sorry to disappoint. I'm sure it's a great strop, so use it in good health.

I wonder where the stamp connection comes in? I know Kanayama actually has several different stamps, not just the Llama brand stamp, so it might be one he bought used somewhere? Hmmm...

So you think that this registered trademark that is identical to Naomi-san may have belonged to someone else and Naomi-san bought this trademark to use as his own?. I wonder what year that he started using this logo?. I found a Sunbury Barber & beauty supply Inc. instead of Sunbury Barber & beauty supply company, doing a Google search. I will try to contact them to see if I can get any information from them. Since this is a registered trademark it is possible to also contact the registered trademark office to see who it actually belongs to. It is definitely a mystery and I like a good mystery. When I get some free time I may do a little digging and try to solve this mystery. Thanks JimR.