Thread: Tony Miller, Kanayama, SRD?

I got a TM and love it, just scared to use and reck it. I have a cheap one which I am steadily ruining!!

I have all 3 stops. H 1 has its own unique characteristics. What I like about SRD Is the fact I can replace parts if necessary. good luck with your choices

I've got 2 Tony Miller Strops and love them both. I also have a 4 sided strop with 3, 1, .5, and .25 CrOx paste that Tony used to sell about 6 or 7 years ago. I highly recommend Tony's products and workmanship!

I have 3 TM premium steerhide strops. The quality of their leather and workmanship is superb and they have the smoothest, lightest draw of any cowhide strop I've tried. However, it's really a matter of personal preference, as any of the three brands you're looking at are good quality and will do an equally fine job getting your blade ready.

Just received my Kanayama #3, and all I can say is WOW.....My Tony Miller Steerhide now has an "equally-as-awesome" roomate!! The draw is a little heavier than the TM, but equally as smooth. The suede component is to die for as well....highly recommended!!

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I was under the impression that Kanayama strops were no longer being made. You do see used ones up for sale from time to time though.

What I gathered is that Jim Rion stopped selling them because he couldn't guarantee 100% quality, as the only person making them is getting quite old and doesn't have anyone to take over the business.

They are still being made, I'm looking into getting one myself too, nevertheless.

Pithor your are right about what happened between Jim Rion and the strop craftsman. I have looked at many Kanayama's since the Rion/Kanayama parting and the Kanayamas out there are simply beautiful and functional (as always) and are available though several sources at better prices.

Originally Posted by Powerreserve

Does anybody have expriences with the new horsehide (Horween) strops from Alex Jacques? They seem to use high quality leathers & canvas.

I don't know anything except about the leather if it's horween shell. The shell is the best starting surface I've seen on any strop (as in, the first time you use it, it's great and it makes for a very keen edge).
Horween nailed me for $200 with shipping for a #2 shell (which I could've struggled to make two strops out of but I took the center out of mine because it was the longest segment), it is incredibly expensive and the chance of finding an inexpensive strop made from it is zero. We'll see how it wears. Instead of looking slicker, so far a couple of the spots on it have dulled a tiny bit, but that's no problem, it's still just as smooth and slick and creates a great edge. To my experience so far, the softer strops with a little bit more draw just don't quite keep the edge at the super sharpest - there is a clear difference between the edge off of the horween shell and any other newer strop that I've gotten that starts off with more draw and a less slick and hard surface.

I use a Kanayama 80,000. I see that Maxim at JNS has these in stock again. They sell out quickly when word spreads that they are available. This strop is remarkable in every way. As to quality issues of the new batch, only way to find out is buy one. JNS is a quality company and I am sure that you could work out something if the strop is not up to snuff.

I don't know if aframestokyo was mentioned yet, I just checked - he's already out of stock after a little more than a month. He's usually got the lowest price, and he's only shipping from hawaii instead of DK, so you get stuff quickly.