Thread: Is this strop ok? P.A. Brown Strop from the shaver shop perth, western australia

Originally Posted by DaveW

What is the chance of finding a leather supplier in australia that supplies 8/9 ounce vegetable tanned leather with one rough and one smooth side?

Here in the states, you can get it on ebay for about $12 per square foot, and when it's fresh and undamaged, I have not been able to beat the edge I get with it with any strop. I don't know how long it'll be good, but my best edges thus far have been using it as a last step, completely clean and untreated, laid on top of a strop that has trouble getting my edges to the same level.

i.e., I take it and lay it on top of an inferior strop with regular tension for about 25 strops after I use the strop that's not so great (a 3" strop in my case).

at about $30 with shipping for 2 sq feet, you have tons of it to play with, and hopefully that would be unwrinkled stuff. For whatever reason, all three of my strops get less impressive as I add stuff to the leather to keep it soft, be it shaving soap, strop dressing or mineral oil. They all do OK, but the low price plain smooth vege tanned (cow) leather takes the edge over the top (as in HHT-5 level vs. HHT-2/3) and isn't something you'd need to rely on a shaving supply place to supply.

Pretty damn good, to answer your original question. Now call me crazy, but I do believe all natural leather has a smooth side and a rough side. Or hair and flesh to be a bit more accurate.
Here in Australia we get it from a Tannery...Just seems like the smart thing to do

Originally Posted by kaivorth

Any leather around in AUS? Should be some Kangaroo leather Make a paddle strop if you can get some

You have a problem with hanging strops made from 'roo hide?! I think you might be picking a fight with myself and Legion if you want to try and tell us that hanging strops of 'roo hide are no good.


Sorry Gents, I just had to poke some fun. Maybe we just do things a little differently here...Buying leather off ebay...who woulda thunk it...Go to a bloody Tannery for that....Silly, silly people!


Mick

I think you're right that it's all smooth and rough. I've never gotten it otherwise, but it's nice to get it "plain" and very smooth on the smooth side.

Far as tannery goes, would love to find one around here that sells to the public where the gas wouldn't cost tons more than just getting two square feet at a time from ebay.

Haven't been able to yet, but buying from a tannery would be less risky - you could see the leather first and see how smooth it is. So far, I've been lucky, and have been using the leather mostly as stropping material for tools until a couple of weeks ago when I figured out that a fresh piece of it does a better job than my "regular" strops.

The tannery is definitely the best way to go, but if you don't have one within an hours drive or you don't buy in bulk to make it a worthwhile trip, I suppose you gotta do what ya gotta do.


Mick