Thread: cordovan shell strops

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

What TBS said,amazing how much of this sport is purely mental.

Well when you think about it we gotta be crazy to shave with the darn things!!

Whole thing borders on being a sickness,No sane people understand.
Like this morning,my wife had to ask: You know that new razor that came in the mail yesterday,(yes,what about it)
Why did you put it under your pillow last night? DOH

Digging this up. Waiting for the kanayama strops to come into stock to buy one of the higher $$ strops.

All I can say is this about the cowhide vs. horsehide argument, I don't believe that they both do the same to a razor edge (a horse butt strop will maintain an edge without going to linen or hones for much longer) and in the days when everything was rendered and slaughtered here and barbers chose some sort of horse almost universally.

If the difference isn't there up front vs. cow leather, it's there in spades after 3 weeks of shaving with the same razor, let alone after 2 months.

I don't have any delusions that the kanayama will do more for the edge of a razor than a horse butt strop, but both of my horse butt strops that are settled in do more for an edge and do it longer than any of my cowhide strops. A little bit more initially, but a LOT more after the razor has 20-50 shaves on it.

My Kanayama 2196 came today and I set about some stropping on it as well as, comparatively, on my other strops. 20 round trips on each and here's what it felt like to me. The Kanayama was VERY smooth, tho not quite as smooth as my Illinois 361 which I think is steerhide (??). The Illinois is so smooth it doesn't feel like it's doing anything.

The Kanayama was smoother than my SRD Premium which has been my main strop for quite awhile. And my latigo -- really a drag, comparatively speaking.

In short, I like the way it feels under hand. The Kanayama is a nicely constructed, handsome stop and I think I'll be using it preferentially, at least until I'm ready for the next change.

I like every vintage Horse strop i get it's a wonderfully smooth strop.
i do think horse is better then cow.
Do remmber the big thing that will prevent them from rotting drying or cracking
is to oil them.

Strops be one of the items in the world i enjoy gathering up.
i got me a nice horse one once 20 bucks with other stuff.
what a deal it's still useable for razors. I also got a nice stone with
the deal. I don't even remmber what the other stuff was.

IME, and I have and use a variety of strops, including a Kanayama 90,000. They all do the job. I don't notice any difference in the shave. It's really your personal preference, What you like to use, What draw you like. These days, I'm liking the steerhide you mentioned or my SRD Premium 1. If you have the funds, and want to go for the Cordovan, go for it. If your looking for a dramatic difference in the edge, I don't think your going to see it imo. I agree with TBS.

"If your looking for a dramatic difference in the edge, I don't think your going to see it imo" I wonder if there might be some pithy info here...if you know exactly what you are looking for, you have increased your likelihood of finding it.
I just realized that I spend a staggering amount of time reading these posts. I wasn't looking for enjoyment, but I found it.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Keep in mind all quality strops do the same job. No matter the critter or the finish. The difference is in how you feel about it and the luxury mindset. Also they will have a different feel as you use them as well as when you look at them.

I have a #3 and its a fine strop.

TBS has put in the time to be an authority. I have used lots of different surfaces to strop without my discerning any differences with the results.

In my personal opinion I have to say that I have 1 kanayama and a tony miller 3". In my personal point of view every morning I use both firts the Tony's and 50 stokes with the kanayama. Difference? not that many, Take in consideration your budget because I do belive that the price they ask for that leather its too much at the moment eventhou its a rare and dificult to find leather.
Thanks
K