what can anyone tell me about these are the worth the money ? I want one and just want some feedback on how good the are?
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what can anyone tell me about these are the worth the money ? I want one and just want some feedback on how good the are?
I think worth the money is a personal judgement. I have 3 of them, go figure. 2 of the big ones and one of the small ones. I love the soft leather on them and they produce great results. But, I also have a couple of great paddle strops and a bunch of great hanging strops from several makers.
An A.D. is a terrible thing to waste..........
Have fun.
Yes Lynn is spot on. The Livi loom is really a nice tool to have. As Lynn stated the leather is the softest leather I have ever felt. Buttery soft.
But my favorite part is the Chrom Ox side, which I use all the time after honing.
Its well worth the expense.
Darl (Tarkus)
You said the magic words, "I want one". That means go ahead and buy it because if you don't you will always regret it and eventually you will buy it.
I don't usually go to chrom-ox but when I do it is on the Livi Loom. As has already been noted the leather has to be felt to be believed. It has been worth it to me. If I was offered the $ back I'd say no and keep my Livi loom.
Ya'll talked me in to it I ordered one its on the way can't wait, I have been using Lynn modular paddle strop and I think it the best thing since sliced bread
The leather is the softest leather I have ever felt does anyone know what kind of leather it is?
Am reopening this old thread to see if the OP is still on the forum, and how he likes his Mastro Livi strop?
Or anyone else with experience with this strop can chime in -- I am thinking of investing in one. Have also considered one of SRD's modular paddles and pretty sure can't really go wrong either way, but I tend to do a lot of research on these things before buying.
Are the looms even available anymore???
Yes, but have to order them from his website in Italy, it appears.
https://www.mastrolivirazors.com/ind...roducts/strops
Obie loves his, and as he is much wiser than I am, I went with his recommendations and ordered one a few months ago. Since receiving it, my other wonderful strops have seen no use and are just hanging there. The soft leather side polishes the edge like no tomorrow, and I also have been enjoying the Chromium Oxide side.
Anyone here prefer the Livi loom strop to Kanayama strops? Since both are expensive, I will eventually have to choose between the two offerings, but as of now I'm leaning toward the Livi based on those here who have offered their opinions.
Yes, I have both - the smaller Livi and 70000 Kanayama, as well as a couple of other good quality horse strops from Neil Millar and Scrupleworks. In comparing all of them I can only say that all work exceedingly well but I noticed a slight difference with the Kanayama that I didn't with the Livi, both of which were bought after the first two.
I have both strops, as well as a Neil Miller shell, a Scrupleworks, and a Tony Miller. I'm not sure you can compare the Livi Loom Strop with the Kanayama. Both are excellent strops but are also very different. You can't go wrong with either one. The Kanayama has a buttery feel to it, unlike any other strop that I've tried. The leather on the Livi is incredibly soft. I used to do 30 laps on linen, then 60 on leather with my other strops, but with the Livi I only need to do about 20 laps on leather to polish the edge. I'm very impressed with the Livi, but I wouldn't necessarily say one is better than the other, it has more to do with an individual's preference.
I have a large one and the leather is the most buttery smooth leather I have ever seen. It's so soft it puts the kanayama to shame. Using it is an experience and the CrO side is really loaded with the stuff so it does a fast job of touching up your razor.
It's really one of those luxury items if you can afford you will enjoy using immensely.
Looking at the sizes available, I think that something in-between the small and medium would be the ideal size.
I was impressed watching Mastro Livi's video where he takes a shave-ready razor, kills the edge on a glass, then gets it back to shave-ready with a relatively small number of passes on the pasted side and very few on the leather side as well.
I have his large loom strop and i love it. The leather side is the softest I've seen and is a treat to strop on. The crox side is extremely effective to freshen up an edge. Pricey? Yes, but i still like it.
Gentlemen,
I have used a variety of strops — Mastro Livi, Scrupleworks, Neil Miller, Tony Miller, SRD, Kanayama, and others — and each has given me a fine edge. The Kanayama's feel is pure cream, nothing like it, and I love it. Yet, I no longer have my Kanayama — at one time I had three. Nor do I have the other strops, none except the Illinois 203, an old shell strop my barber gave me, and the Mastro Livi.
Perhaps it is only my perception, but none of the strops I have used has given me the particular silky edge that does the Mastro Livi. I can't quite put the finger on it. If you look at the bevel after stropping with the Mastro Livi, the sparkling shine on it is like a thread from a celestial jewel. In my experience, no other strop quite does that, even the Kanayama. Still, that is no proof the Mastro Livi loom strop is better than the others I have noted. The only difference that I can see and feel is that the Mastro Livi is somehow different, and I prefer that difference. The CrO side, which I use to refresh an edge when needed, is an added bonus to this remarkable strop.
I have the travel size and the small size, both of which work perfectly for me. The medium and the large I feel are cumbersome.
I had one and liked it a lot. I can echo what others have said about the leather side being 'buttery' smooth, and unlike any other strop surface. You have to see it, feel it to really appreciate it. Mine was part of a razor/brush/loom strop set and when I sold the set the loom had to go as part of the set. Someday I may get another, but for now I'll just struggle on with my Kanayama 80,000 and the dozen other strops I have.
If you had a 90K you wouldn't have to struggle Jimmy.
Har har.
I have 2 Mastro Livi loom strops, medium and small and without question, the quality and performance has no equal. I find you don't need as many laps on the fine skin as on other stores and to restore an edge, the chromium oxide on linen side brings it back real fast with very few laps. They are not inexpensive but you get what you pay for.
I asked a similar question on this thread:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...d-spine-2.html
I prefer and use the medium the most. I got the small when I ordered a promotion by Mastro Livi when he was selling Cella products, a Grifetta razor, and the small loom strop. I use the small for travel. When I am home, I like the medium. 20 laps and you got one great polished edge. Haven't found anything to match the soft skin side for performance and silky fee.
Does the Livi strop come already treated with the CROX, or do you have to apply it yourself...I know that he sends a crayon of the stuff with the strop?
Yes, the loom strop has chromium oxide on a fine linen on one side and skin on the other. It also comes with a crayon to add more if needed. When you clean the fine skin or linen, Mastro Livi recommends using rolled up toilet paper soaked with lighter fluid. You rub it lightly one way only until the black is off. Dried like a shot and has no effect on the skin or linen. I do it on my 2 hanging strops. On the linen side, you then take the crayon and apply it going lightly one way until there is new layer of chromium oxide. Doesn't need much. Without question, it is the best way to strop and touch up a razor.
You are not going to believe the feel and the edge you will get off the skin side.
I've had a chance to use the Livi Loom strop, also watched Mastro Livi's video on his loom strop.
And I guess I can add no words, there is no more apt description than Obie describes here on page 3 of this thread, and I completely agree:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ml#post1726881
And yes, I noticed the bevel on the razor really shine after little stropping on the loom strop, looks very polished...can't wait to see how some Sheffield steel feels like after some Livi.
So -- back to the question of where you Livi strop owners keep 'em?
I know the Mastro sends them in a nice wooden box, but I can't really imagine using that for every-day storage.
I made a leather case for mine and hang it in my bathroom.
Actually, so far I keep it in it's wooden box, tuck it behind the door in my rec room, have some brushes, soaps and other shaving related stuff on a book shelf, just bring it out, have a table there, just place the bottom of the loom on the table top, hold it up at about 45 degree angle and away you go.
Really is a beautiful piece of leather, even better that it looks like human skin stretched over the metal frame, and Livi says you strop until the bevel is clean and it gleams, and the strop definitely does that, without that many laps as well.
Shave I had tonight with my W&B, after refreshing on the Escher, and then stropped with the treated side, then stropped with the skin side, was sublime....glad I got one.
I have not used one but held one in my hand.
The construction to me is very basic and not impressive.
The stropping surfaces felt very good and although I can't comment on the results I believe others here.
I would not recommend these to a beginner because to me an OOOPS would cause it to loose all value.
P.S. As I reread my post I suppose you could make that point with any strop.
The loom part is more what I was thinking less of.
The treated side which livi crox seems very fast to me, I find it polishes rapid, and one has to be careful as it really can over do my razors and leaves a real harsh edge other wise five strokes seems to work well.
The best way to store them is on a wall where you just slide the opening up to take the strop out. I have the large size and I find it's the best way.
The CrO on the strop is applied insanely thick. Just a few swipes is all you need.
First the good news:
I deeply admire Mastro Livi's creativity and genius and his strops, which I still own the medium and travel versions of, work admirably well.
In fact, I am struggling to find a strop that comes close and replicates this silky feel during the shave and I do hope that either a Kanayama or Scrupleworks will fit that role.
Now the bad news: Mastro Livi's creativity is - at least in my experience - not matched by an equal amount of quality control.
Unfortunately, this applies both to Livi razors, which I own as well, and to his loom strops.
Regarding the loom strop:
In the first week the travel loom strop lost already one of the nuts in the upper plate that tensions the strop as neither of the two nuts were properly tightened, which is admittedly not a big thing and was remedied easily.
But within less than a year the thread in the same plate on the medium-sized strop is getting worn away by the thread in the handle.
I should mention that after stropping I tend to loosen the screw 2-3 turns to reduce the tension on the strop, but IMO a quality loom strop should be able to handle this without wearing out prematurely.
Well, at least cheapo Herold loom strops do...
I just noticed the last problem only a few days ago and have tried to lubricate the screw and check the adjustment of the base plate, but to no avail.
So the end result?
I still have the strop - at least until the Kanayama or Scrupleworks replacement arrives.
I also acknowledge that Mastro Livi's creations are to a large extent handmade and hence small variations and the need for adjustments should expected, but this should not impede their functionality.
N.B.
Before anyone suggests sending items back to Mastro Livi to be rectified:
(1) That is only practical within the EU, when you do not have to deal with the vagaries of Italian Customs {paying import duty on arrival on my side, then paying Italian import duty plus 22% VAT based on brandnew value on return to Italy for repair, and finally paying import duty again when the item is returned to me}.
(2) That makes only sense should Mastro Livi acknowledge that - based on several e-mails since when the razor was new - the item has some inherent flaw - which he regrettably failed to do.
I am truly sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and I know that Mastro Livi has a loyal following here and on other forums, but if I pay top dollar, I do expect that the goods not only look good but are also fit for the purpose.
B.
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