Thread: RED IMP strop

Does anyone know what material this strop is made out of?

I am sure a few of our members own on.

I can't read the lettering on it because it has been rubbed off

I've got one and the lettering doesn't say what the strop is made from. Based on the draw I would bet horsehide. Most of them were back when that was made. Real good strop IME.

I found a nice one in decent shape, but am trying to figure out what it is made of. I love the old vintage barber strops

Originally Posted by jimmyfingers

I found a nice one in decent shape, but am trying to figure out what it is made of. I love the old vintage barber strops

Me too, another slippery slope that can become an acquisition disorder if you're not careful.

I used to have one and I thought it was cow hide.

i just checked mine out and it dosent say what leather it is made out of it is a 700c it stropes like horse hide it is verry smooth and slick like horse hide .

Originally Posted by ronnie brown

i just checked mine out and it dosent say what leather it is made out of it is a 700c it stropes like horse hide it is verry smooth and slick like horse hide .

Mine feels like that too. It reads Red Imp over a devil with a pitchfork in a circle and "brings your razor back to life" under the circle. At the bottom it reads 'Certifyd' sanitary select like a certified check. 700C made in USA. I wanted one of these when I got started because when I was a teenager my old barber had one like it. I never forgot that devil imagery. Found mine close to NOS on the bay and a heckuva good strop.

Yes I had the same exact model #700 with the same sayings. Very red as I recall. I got mine on Eboy NOS still in its original wrappings. Most Horse strops had some clue about the origin because horse was premium and you paid more for it. I have a few vintage horse strops and they all either say horse or have a picture of a horse on it.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Yes I had the same exact model #700 with the same sayings. Very red as I recall. I got mine on Eboy NOS still in its original wrappings. Most Horse strops had some clue about the origin because horse was premium and you paid more for it. I have a few vintage horse strops and they all either say horse or have a picture of a horse on it.

That is true. Same with my vintage strops. Horse or sometimes shell. Than there are the ones marked Russian.

Just ran into this vintage ad here (Item number:110505923747) note that the Red Imp is the top of the line at $7.50 and is indeed "Shell" which means that it is horsehide. Great strop IME.

EDIT: My system won't allow me to copy the photo of the ad. If anyone is able to and could post the photo in this thread it would be appreciated.