Thread: Ranking of strop materials

Why would it have been difficult? Barbers could get natural stones from Japan, quite good ones back then.

Presumably australians tanned kangaroos for the last several hundred years.

It's possible that it may have been difficult at the retail level, but the trades have always had access to nearly anything accessible from around the world. I can't find anything about it, though, only barber guides that suggest shell cordovan is the best leather for a strop.

Originally Posted by DaveW

Does anyone know where to get cordovan shells at this point? For someone who might like to make their own strop?

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Horween still makes cordovan here a nice article about the process.
Cordovan Leather from Horween

I am curious about the kangaroo. When I was a teenager I did some amateur boxing and the boxing shoes were made from kangaroo leather. The uppers were so soft and thin. Really luxurious. I've just got so many strops and most really good that it doesn't make sense to add yet another ..... but I probably will eventually ..... I've never been known for having any sense when it comes to stuff.

Out of curiosity, I checked some of the manuals listed in the library here. It does list kangaroo as being readily available at any barber shop (and says it is a good choice, along with some other oddballs), but it does also specify that russian leather and horsehide are favorites, which is easy to see going through any antique dealer shop where there is old barber stuff present.

I'm guessing the reason that shell was used was because it was preferred. Horween's site is goofed right now, and I have no idea where an individual would get shells. I've been using horse butt strops for a while and like them much better than any cowhide, but I'd like to give cordovan a try without spending $100-$300 on a single strop.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Horween still makes cordovan here a nice article about the process.
Cordovan Leather from Horween

Right, from my previous message:

Will horween sell a small amount of it?

Their web page is goofed so you can't view much information, but maybe I will call them. It sounds like it will still be expensive even to purchase as raw material. Someone me may only want to have enough to make a few strops, that's got to be a hassle for them.

Originally Posted by brooksie967

Here's an explanation of the properties of Kangaroo Leather. Take from it what you will!

Studies conducted by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) confirm that kangaroo is one of the strongest leathers of similar substance available.[5][9]

Similarly when split into thinner substances kangaroo retains considerably more of the original tensile strength of the unsplit leather than does calf. When split to 20% of original thickness kangaroo retains between 30 to 60% of the tensile strength of the unsplit hide. Calf on the other hand split to 20% of original thickness retains only 1-4% of original strength.[9]

Kangaroo leather is lighter and stronger than the hide of a cow or goat. It has 10 times the tensile strength of cowhide and is 50% stronger than goatskin.[10]

Studies of the morphology of kangaroo leather help explain its particular properties.

The collagen fibre bundles in cattle hide are arranged in a complex weaving pattern. The fibres are often at angles as much as 90 degrees to the skin surface. Cattle hide also contain sweat glands, erector pili muscles and a distinct gradation in elastin levels, concentrated in the upper part of the skin. Kangaroo on the other hand has been shown to have a highly uniform orientation of fibre bundles in parallel with the skin surface. It does not contain sweat glands or erector pili muscles and elastin is evenly distributed throughout the skin thickness [11]. This structural uniformity explains both the greater tensile strength of the whole leather and the greater retention of strength in splits. Bovine skin is much more complex in cross section. Hence in whole section it has many more weak points from which tears can start when placed under tension. In addition when sliced into splits the collagen fibres running at significant angles to the skin surface will be cut. These then become weak points in the structural strength.

Thanks for the info.
But I do not see how this relates to strops. I am not aware of any weakness of cow hide strops compared to kangaroo. There is not enough tension on the strop to cause any of the discussed issues.
Shell on another hand is horse hide, and considered best strop material if I am not wrong.
For me the only variable in a strop is the draw, which comes for the type of leather and possibly the treatment.

Originally Posted by mainaman

For me the only variable in a strop is the draw, which comes for the type of leather and possibly the treatment.

The treatment is a big thing I think. I had talks with Keith DeGrau of HandAmerican about this. Of course "Russian" was a treatment rather than a hunk of material out of the old Soviet Union. I made a strop from a piece of horse shell that I got through Keith. He gave me some 'secret' treatment that I could do if I had wanted to buy a steam iron but I didn't bother. The strop that I made works.

I think a professionally made strop is probably better. They do some sort of treatment in the surface of the hide for the finished product. TBH , having strops by SRD, Kanayama, HandAmerican, Tony Miller ...... a dozen vintage horse and or shells, I can't see a discernible difference in results. OTOH, some of the aforementioned are favorites and others wall hangers. Maybe this is a subconscious recognition that some are really 'better' than others.

Neil Miller i believe still makes cordovan strops.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Neil Miller i believe still makes cordovan strops.

Indeed he does and they are first class from what I've heard. I hope to be finding out first hand in the very near future. Kanayama makes them too and they feel wonderful.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Indeed he does and they are first class from what I've heard. I hope to be finding out first hand in the very near future. Kanayama makes them too and they feel wonderful.

They are a little pricey but from what i heard as well top notch! would hate to purchase a piece of cordovan and be disapointed with the results.
Horween might sell you a piece of cordovan but is it suitable for strops?