Badger & Blade

3" Horween Oil Tanned Horse with Genuine Linen

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:07:42 -0600

by: Raithskar

Description: The strop itself is a work of art. Torolf is a true Master of the Leatherworking craft. Fit and finish were excellent. Just to look at it is a pleasure. All materials used are top grade from the leather to linen to the hardware and handle. I was asked which color handle I wanted and informed Torolf he could be creative. I was amazed with his choice. The Linen Component is second to none in my opinion. It is fast with a brisk feeling of abrasiveness, and the logo at the top end gives it a nice asthetical touch. The handel is comfortable in the hand and does not feel gaudy or cumbersome. The Leather component is of the highest grade. Torolf modifies and tweaks the draw to optimum performance. The is draw to spare on this strop, but it is butter smooth, and you can actually hear the abrasiveness of it. Feed back is excellent, and the more you use it the better it gets. Delivery time is long, about a month, but bear in mind that your strop is hand crafted after your order is placed. To my knowledge He has no stock. At $160 USD I find it an excellent value based on the final product. I would have gladly paid much more. To this day it is the bet money I have invested in Wet Shaving! Jon

Pegasus III

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:21:31 -0600

by: BladeRunner001

Description: Here's the description from Imperial Shave's site: ___________________________________ Product Description These strops are of the finest quality, the hanger is cast in our own foundry from solid brass and nickel plated, then buffed to a lustrous finish. The strop is a full 3"wide x 30" long. No-one else offers this size. This width allows you to use straight strokes with no need for the X pattern stroke, although you can if you prefer; and the longer length will allow you to take fewer laps. This is a definite plus in your daily maintenance routine. A complimentary ring and boat snap swivel is included free of charge. Each strop consists of 2 pieces and several configurations are available. This offering is: Horse Hide & Codovan Horse Hide.Imperial No.1 & Imperial No.2 These strops are tanned specially for us by Horween to the same formulation as were the strops in 1900. These strops far exceed any other on the market bar none and will enhance any fine razors edge. All PEGASUS strops are truly a work of art and fine craftsmanship. Every part of these strops is made by hand, in America by American's. ___________________________________ I opted to get the Pegasus III, because I wanted two leather sides and no linen. I use my Neil Miller or Torolf for linen (subject to a different discussion and review) Feedback: Horsehide (light beige)- This side is a bit "harder/firmer" leather and razor glides over very easily with very little draw. Feedback is excellent for those who prefer little draw. I have tried this side to maintain edges on razors before and after a shave and do see a noticeable difference when used with this leather. Beautifully sharp and reasonably smooth. Cordovan (dark tan) - YMMV and not for beginners (imho). This side is quite a bit "softer" leather compared to the horsehide. I really like finishing my edges on this after the Horsehide. The draw is significant (rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being maximal draw, I think this would score a 9 or 9.5). In using this leather, I noticed that my edges were smoother compared to just the Horsehide alone. The Cordovan seems to suck the steel onto the surface like a magnet. One needs to apply pressure horizontally to get the razor to move across the surface. If done properly, it rewards the user with a magnificent edge. I personally really like draw in a strop. Together, the two leathers are a magnificent daily addition to any straight razor users arsenal. Although I use (almost) equivalent laps on both leathers, I believe that 10 laps on the Cordovan should be more than sufficient for achieving maximal effect. Speed: I gave this a 10 because the 2 sides provide very different speeds, which I really like. The Horsehide side speed is faster than the Cordovan (obviously). The draw on the latter prevents "high speed" stropping to be done effectively. But I wouldn't recommend that anyways. Durability: I have not tested this strop for a long time yet, but in the couple of months that I've had this (daily use), I have not seen any problems as far as deterioration, discoloration, creasing, or any noticeable change to occur with this strop. I am willing to bet top dollar that this strop will last a very very long time (of course, with the caveat that it be not subject to abuse and mistreatment) Size/Dimensions: Length: 30" Width: 3" Thickness (horsehide): 2mm Thickness (Cordovan): 3mm Thickness is perfect as is width...Length is a subject for debate. My initial impression was that it may be a bit long but I have gotten accustomed to it and it doesn't bother me at all. This thing is a lot of leather for the price gentlemen...30" of it!!! Craftsmanship: The only reason I took off a few point from this category is because, unlike the Horsehide side where the logo/emblem is embossed and etched in the leather, the Cordovan side is just printed onto the surface...This may cause it to come off over time (not sure). I am sure there is a reason behind this I am not aware of, but I did email Jim about this and suggested the change. This, in no way, will impact the performance of the strop is it top notch. Portability: If you're looking for a travel strop, forget about this one. it won't serve you well in that category, but if you want to pack it in the luggage or ship it somewhere, it will roll up easily enough, but not too compact. the reason is the thickness. Both sides of this strop are nice and meaty. Having said that, I do not think this is meant to be carried, it is meant to be hanged and enjoyed. Value: At $129 or so, you can't beat this. It is a LOT of 1st class quality leather. I am surprised that it doesn't command a higher price point. I would figure something like this to go for $200-$240 or thereabouts. Recommendations (to Jim at Imperal Shave): Following Options would be nice for broader market Make similar strops of 2" or 2.5" in width for those who do not like wide strops Have the option of providing shorter strops for those who may shy away from long strops...more portable too Summary: This is a BIG strop, imo...Perfect in every way. If you like speed and not draw, go with the Pegasus II strop (Horsehide + Horsehide suede). If you like draw and not speed, go with Pegasus V (Cordovan + Cordovan suede). If you're like me and like a combination of both, get the Pegasus III. You will not be disappointed.

Legion Roo and Moo strop

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 21:31:35 -0700

by: rickboone1

Description: I'd been in the market for a strop for quite a while. Truth is, we all are and it never ends. I had to treat myself to something and I chose the Legion Roo and Moo strop. I spoke with B&B member, Legion, several times before acquiring this strop, as well as looked at posts from other members here and other sites that had obtained the strop. Initially the design was to be just a Roo strop with Moo merely as a backing as the Roo leather is quite thin. However, testing found that the Moo there, unlike any Moo I've stropped on before, has great stropping properties. The Moo is quite velvety/ felt like. Not quite suede feeling or looking. Reminded me of a natural chamois. There are a few things that set this apart from any other strop on the market. One is the leather as described above the second is the handle. Now, mine pictured is a wood that is no longer available, but the wood used now is more than gorgeous. I THINK it's maple. It's a nice, light color that compliments it well. The strop doesn't produce a heavy draw, nor is it as slick as my horsehide. Allows for nice, rythmic stropping and one heck of an edge. So, why the lower number on fit and finish? The hardware. It looks to be of a poor quality plating type. I have not had any problems with it, nor do I anticipate any. But, compared to other strops' hardware I find it a tad lacking in luster and frankly looks cheaper. I'm talking only of the metal clip/ ring at the top of the strop. Not sure what to put for thickness of leather. It's thin, yes, but quite effective and very durable. I gave it a tick down on the overall value only because shipping is a beast. Not the strop maker's fault, and I truly wouldn't let this discourage you from getting one! Roo is thin and may be prone to some cupping type behavior out of the box. Mine was. Though thin it is a good thing in that it's easily fixed. Quite often it's not an issue as the flexibility of the leather allows it to flatten out when pulled taut. I was given the option to get this strop without the handle. I find the handle helps to keep the strop taut as need be, additionally just look at how gorgeous that handle is! Who'd want to be without that? It feels great in my hand. Not slick, but enough grip and sized great. I can easily adjust the strop with the handle to increase tautness or decrease it. In short the strop is truly a work of art. Quite different from any latigo or anything else I've seen or used. I think everyone should get one and add it to their collection. But, that's just my opinion. Sorry, my helper's foot got in the photo.

Ambrose Ebano Strop

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:14:21 -0700

by: Woodash

Description: [B]Quality/Workmanship/Design/F&F:[/B] The workmanship and quality of leather and hardware on the Ambrose Ebano strop are top notch. I find it to be a 'no frills' strop, but that belies its simple, clean elegance which I find appealing. The dark color of the leather (think Espresso roast) has a striking appearance. There is a tasteful, but discrete stamp with the maker's logo at the barber's end. This is a good-looking strop. [B]Feedback/Draw/Speed/Efficacy: [/B]The strop has a smooth and uniform draw along its entire length and width. It has considerably more draw than a relatively light English bridle that I have, but less than the Ambrose Spanish horsehide (Corto) strop that I have. This complements the Corto well and it has already quite noticably pushed several freshly-honed edges over the top. Tactile and audio feedback are direct and crisp with a firm, but not heavy 'grip' on the razor. With a fluid motion, this strop is good for high speed stropping if that's your thing. The leather felt a little stiff coming out of the package owing partly to its substantial thickness and will need sometime to break in. [B]Size (it matters): [/B]At 4 mm thick, it is sufficiently thick to feel substantial in my grip and also to minimize cupping. Total length is 64 cm (~24 in) which provides a very ample stropping length of ~50-55 cm (~20-22 in), even with the barber's end. This is a full 13 cm (5 in) longer than some earlier Ambrose strops and is a [I]very [/I]welcome improvement. Strop width is 64 mm (~2.5 in) with a cotton canvas back that is only ~2mm less wide than the leather (1 mm each side). The canvas has a clean appearance, and although I find it to be quite stiff, it serves its purpose before going to the leather. [B]Overall value and Summary: [/B] The Ambrose Ebano is a no-frills high quality strop with an understated elegance that will soon become my daily strop. It looks great and feels great under a razor. I think it's quite reasonably priced compared to other strops on the market, especially considering its quality and performance. I expect this strop to last indefinately. Aside from the fact that I always seem to subconsciously call it the �Ebola� strop, my only complaint is that it is not as supple as I would like and might take some time to break in. This is probably just my own personal aesthetic as the performance right out of the box and later has been very good. +1 for Jose. I'll post a pic as soon as I can...

Vintage Blades 2" Red Latigo Strop With D-Ring Handles

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:59:55 -0700

by: raccoonandbrush

Description: [SIZE="3"][B][U]Aesthetics:[/U][/B][/SIZE] Both strops are 23" long. They have 17" of strop space, 15" if not going over the logo. The secondary strop is made out of a weaved fabric. It is very tightly woven. No loose threads or anything. The red Latigo strop is a great quality leather, enough said. The D-ring handles are quite big. It gives me a great grip to make the strop nice and taught. This is truly one great looking strop. [B][U][SIZE="3"]Functionality[/SIZE][/U][/B] Both strops perform very well. The weaved fabric does a great job at getting the blade ready for the leather side. The Latigo side has a great draw. Both strops are very efficient. I recommend this strop for anyone.

Ambrose Soft Horse Hide Strop

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:19:07 -0700

by: bluemantra

Description: First let me start off buy saying that I am not a veteran of straight razor shaving. I'm relatively new with straights, but was shaving with a DE for 6 years prior. I have a Tony Miller 2.5" Red Latigo, an SRD modular paddle, and Larry's poor man's strop. Fit & Finish- I don't know what else can be said about the fit and finish on this strop that isn't in the photos. This strop feels like a piece of velvet when you run your hand over it. What I really like is the design at the end of this strop. You can tell when you see this strop in person that a lot of time and creativity went into crafting it. Amount of Draw- Compared to my latigo the horse hide is much more smooth with a really quick draw. It's a very very light draw. I have horse hide on my SRD as well and in comparison the Ambrose is heavier. The SRD feels like I have very little control of the razor and can get away from me sometimes if I'm not careful. The Ambrose strop pulls the razor to it and gives me great control when performing the "x" pattern. Thickness of Leather- Plenty thick and on par with my Tony Miller. Not sure what to say here other than it feels like a solid piece of leather that will last a lifetime. Efficacy- I started out using a freshly honed razor from Jose (aka Ambrose) and I've been using nothing but the linen and the horse hide. Now being new to straights stropping is usually the make it or break it in maintaining the edge of a razor. More importantly incorrect stropping can dull a razor very quickly. I have had no dulling of my razor and it still shaves as sharp and smooth as the day I got it from Jose. It's just fun to use this strop. The draw and feel make it easy to use. As my first strop with a barbers end I wasn't sure how it was going to feel holding it. At first I didn't like it, I was holding between my thumb and forefinger and that would cramp my hand. Then I started holding the end like a handle and got much better results. I thought about getting my next Ambrose strop with D rings, but in the end decided to get it in the barbers end. It also looks better without D rings IMO. Overall Value- I feel this strop is an excellent value. I find it to be the best looking strop I've seen. Added to that its functionality and its price. You can't beat it. I do like having the heavy draw of my TM latigo strop and I find Jose's work on par with Tony's. I'm very much looking forward to Jose's future offerings and experimenting with different draws and designs. From talking with Jose it doesn't sound like the soft horse hide strop is going to be around for long, so if you haven't I would drop an email to Jose and pick one up. I believe he just got some more horse hide leather in stock. Jose is awesome at making strops and his honing skills are just as great. He is also fantastic to deal with. He is committed to making sure the people who buys his strops are satisfied with the end product and he stands behind that with his action and not just his word. You can buy from him with confidence and trust. [IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/bluemantra/AmbroseShave022.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/bluemantra/AmbroseShave017.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/bluemantra/Shave011111001.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/bluemantra/Shave011111003.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/bluemantra/Shave011111005.jpg[/IMG]

New Ambrose Strop leather for paddle strop

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:50:00 -0600

by: Blue58

Description: [SIZE=2][FONT=System]I recently contacted Jose of Ambroseshave.com and asked him if it would be possible or even practical to use a piece of his new leather for a paddle strop. Jose immediately replied back that since it had never been tried for use on a paddle strop he would send me a piece to test and see how it worked. Within just a few days I received 2 pieces of his new leather cut to the size I had given him. When I checked the pieces for size against my paddle it was perfect so I give this a 10 for excellent fit. My first impression of this leather was....WOW...[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=System]it [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=2][FONT=System] really is that incredible to the touch and you just want to put it up to your face and feel the velvet like surface of the strop. It has the feel of one of those really high priced suede jackets. But this leather is thick enough that it has good body but not so thick that it is stiff and ungiving. I give this a 10 for the thickness because for a paddle strop I felt it was think enough that it would not wilt or distort from the glue but it was not so thick that it did not flex and give an appropriate amount to function as a strop. Additionally I would have given it a 10 for use as a regular strop because it would not be so soft that it would require a lot of pull to keep the leather from giving too much while stropping. Yet it would not be so rigid that it did not give enough to provide good feedback. After I glued the leather to my paddle I tried it out to get a feel for kind of draw this strop had. I was very very impressed, The draw was just enough that you could feel it but not so much that it felt like it was dragging and after just a few laps you could feel the ever so slight change in the draw. I think because I strop slowly I may feel it more than others might. I did only give this an 8 because as I said I do strop slowly so I may feel more of the subtle change in the draw than other veteran stroppers that strop quickly might feel. I do think and feel there was very good feedback from this strop. I think because of the velvet like finish on this leather that it will be a very efficient strop and provide a very smooth finish to the edge so I give this a 9. This is an excellent choice for a paddle strop and I would highly recommend this strop to anyone that is planning a restore to an old paddle strop or someone that just wants a new strop. Jose is awesome to work with and he would be happy to cut it any size you need for your paddle. Although I did not pay for the leather I did find that Jose is very fast to respond to all communications and shipping is very fast. Jose is polite and very personable and pleasurable to deal with. I would give Ambroseshave.com a 12 but the ratings only go to 10. [/FONT][/SIZE]

Kanayama 30000 (Linen and Leather)

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 08:16:09 -0600

by: wdwrx

Description: I recently purchased the Kanayama 30000. The strop arrived in a nice box, well packaged. First appearances looked very promising. It is obviously very finely crafted. The leather is absolutely flawless, smooth and silky to the hand. A razor passed on it has wonderful smooth sensation. Draw I found to be about medium. Not as heavy as a TM latigo, nor quite as slick as my vintage Shell. The leather in my 30000 is a little on the thin side. It deforms and stretches slightly under use, so it is necessary to hold both components at the same time. The linen is the disappointing part of it. It is a very heavy , vintage style linen with a most disconcerting wash-board sensation. Not a pleasure to use. Several tests with the linen show that it isn't as effective as the TM linen, routinely dropping HHT values to a point that the leather alone is not able to recover. I took a chance and sanded the surface of the linen lightly, and this improved the feel under the razor, but it didn't improve the effectiveness, nor did it degrade the function. It did mute the washboard sensation, and makes it feel a little smoother. All in all, this strop provides fair value. The magic (and the money) are in the leather. The two part strop set, on it's own, may not be adequate to achieve the maximum keenness, and so one may wish to consider purchasing the three part strop set to be assured of achieving the best results.

Shaved Zombie "beginner" strop

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:26:20 -0600

by: MoreSaltThanPepper

Description: I received this strop this morning in the mail, unsure about what to expect, as the manufacturer is a rather self-effacing gentleman. :001_smile We had discussed what dimensions I would like and I asked for something longer and wider than my current commercially bought double sider. What I unpacked was a length of gorgeously finished hide, treated to a wonderfully dark, smooth shine and outfitted with hardware that would surely be a centrepiece in any barber's shop. One end sported a thick, beautifully polished stainless steel D-ring and a swivel clip on the other that that probably would not tether a Clydesdale but would likely do nicely for any task short of that. This is all held together by super heavy-duty mounting hardware that will undoubtedly outlive me. What possibly makes this for a "beginner" I can't really say, unless he means that it's only the leather, without a canvas. It surely isn't missed. I don't know what secret treatment was used on the leather but it rendered the surface seemingly glass-smooth. I wasn't sure what the effect would be on either my 5/8 Klaas or my 7/8 Issard. Wow. The glass feeling turned out to have the perfect amount of tooth to draw. The extra width made it perfect to draw either x-wise or heel lead, whatever suits. It turned both razors into smooth gliders that whicked hair off without drag or complaint from either blade. If I understand correctly, this is an early effort. The ONLY evidence of this is a slightly unburnished edge, only very slightly less smooth than my commercial strop. With this as an example, we have yet another reason to shop right here. I would recommend these units to anyone who wants an affordable, easy to use, high performance strop for all their razors. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Best Regards, - John

Ambrose Cordovan Strop

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:06:52 -0600

by: azmark

Description: I took quite a while to get this review in because it was my first time using a cordovan strop so I didn't really know what to expect as a result. I was so blown away by the Spanish strop Jose (Ambrose) has that I needed to get everything out of this strop to give him the fairest review and make sure it stood up to the success to his Spanish strops. I used 5 different razors to get my final results and my results are a combined of each. WK1; 6/8 Full Hollow Gotta, WK2; TI 69 Frameback, WK3; TI C135 1/4 Hollow, WK4; Joseph Allen & Sons Near Wedge, and WK5; 5/8 Freddy Reynolds Half Hollow. My set ups are done on a weekly rotation so I get the feel of the product and and know if it is going to work for me so I figured this gives the strop a big area to cover in razor types. All stropping was done on this strop it was not used as a finishing for these razors. Fit and Finish:9 Surface was very unique to me. I've never held a cordovan strop so I didn't compare it to any other strop but the strop felt almost like patent leather at first until I started to rub the leather between my fingers. Then I began to figure what the deal was with this stuff, it was almost different to other strops like latigo, horse, English bridle and Ambrose's Spanish where you noticed the difference just by touch. This was meant to be enjoyed by the blade not by just feeling it with your fingers but it was softer with each pass of my fingers. The color was a dark chocolate with Ambrose's stamp at the bottom of a plain end of 2 x 18, my favorite by far. Very traditional looking as always. The thickness is where this thing scared me; one wrong move and I felt like I was going to have a travel strop. In all honesty, I have not nicked this strop once and is the same shape I received it in. I did about 60 passes and the razors responded well to all of them except the near wedge but I felt that particular razor shave well all week, it was just more of a feel. So a 9 was in order. Second Material:10 I don't know if there is an option for stropping material, I just chose a linen backing to it. I'm glad I did because the back matches to the 2" width of the strop and looks like a cleaner strop visually. It doesn't resemble a material I've used before, I'd say it is a version of linen. It has a dense webbing that doesn't fold and feels sturdy. I do like that after almost two weeks there are no signs of fraying and it has excellent feedback. Efficiency: 10 All razors did stay sharp all week and didn't feel the need to put in extra passes. 60is was more than enough. Design:10 I love the design because since I like the plain end and unobstructed strops with dangling things this one fits me. Besides performance, the most positive thing for me in a design perspective is the one piece design. There is not second piece of leather at the top of the rivets(?). It just folds over nicely. I'm glad the leather isn't black but it matches my office furniture in chocolate. Value:10 I have no doubt this strop is worth every penny. I have never paid over $100 for a strop and have come close to buying luxury strops but never found the need to when there are wonderful products out that do the job just fine. This is a luxury item and I consider a cordovan not to be a necessity but an experience. Overall:9* Again, Jose is a top notch guy and I would never hesitate to deal with him. I spoke to him on the phone and his enthusiasm is heard when we were talking about what new stones he has and what his plans were. This strop is a nice luxury to add in my room, I do use it as a finishing strop but for the test I used it for all my stropping in the mornings. Except for the feel of the leather which was only secondary and had nothing to do with the results but Jose wanted an honest review and he got it. [B]Photo credit to dmcconnell[/B]

3"English Bridle by Walking Horse Strop

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:13:05 -0600

by: Will P.C.

Description: [IMG]http://www.thesuperiorshave.com/images/WalkingHorse_Bridle_Tan_1.jpg[/IMG] I was browsing through Ebay and saw a strop that caught my eye. 3 inch English Bridle with webbed fabric for 73 shipped! After a few messages back and forth with the seller, it was on the way to my house. The seller was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, which eased my mind. I own 10 strops and I really enjoy feeling the razor on the different leathers. FINISH OF LEATHER and STROP The strop area is 17 inches which is more than enough room for a nice stroke. The English Bridle leather had no imperfections on it. I found that the Bridle needs very little breaking in. The cuts that hold the D Rings on the top and bottom have Chicago screws holding them in place. . However, they aren�t �perfect� hinges, but still serve their purpose and very close to perfect (more of an artisan feel). I found the strop to be solid, durable, and aesthetically pleasing. DRAW I would put Latigo on the heavy end and my Chicago Special on the �glass� end of the draw spectrum. This strop fits right in the middle in terms of draw. I have a tough time rating draw on a numeric scale since I use and love the draw both my Latigo and Cordovan, and Horsehide strops. Draw is subjective to the user. I find this to be a good compromise though. I should also note that I �feel� the leather when I use this strop. I do not feel a heavy wax feeling when stropping which is a good thing THICKNESS OF LEATHER Again, hard to put this in a numeric scale. IMO if the strop is functional and works well, then the thickness is fine. My Vintage Red Imp Strop is not very thick, but performs as well as the best of them. This is a hefty piece of leather and no disappointments in this category. I hope that gives you an idea. EFFICIENY This is the most important rating to me. To me, efficiency means whether or not the strop will get the edge ready for shaving by realigning it. This strop does the job just fine. I use 10 laps on the �cloth� side and 30 on the leather then off to the bathroom to shave. It does its job and does not lack anything is this category. WEBBED FABRIC I own 11 different cloth components. I find this one to be the most aggressive. It is made out of the polypropylene. You can almost feel it �grab� the edge and put it back into place. Hence, you do not need a bunch of laps. I especially like this fabric when I am coming off the hones. It really seems to shine using it in this fashion. I should also note that black cotton is also available since this is the first review on this strop. [IMG]http://www.thesuperiorshave.com/images/WalkingHorse_Bridle_Tan_2.jpg[/IMG] CONCLUSIONS Anybody that owns a bunch of strops will tell you that any decent piece of leather will get the job done. If I was a beginner, I would be all over this. The price is extremely reasonable and not much more money than the Illinois 827, but the leather is miles better. Since it is the modular design, you can try out some different leathers without breaking the bank. I do not believe this strop is on Ebay anymore, but can be found at TheSuperiorShave.com. Bottom line this is a well tanned and high quality strop at a great price. I plan on purchasing the Shell Cordovan strop next that Walking Horse makes. [IMG]http://www.thesuperiorshave.com/images/WalkinHorseEnglishBridle5.jpg[/IMG]

Ambrose Custom Spanish Horsehide Strop

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:31:32 -0600

by: The Knize

Description: Here is a review thread on this strop begun by others, with nice photos and everything. [url]http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=154571[/url] I did not see an actual review in the reviews of this strop, though. Hope this is not a repeat review. I agree with azmark and Barbash say in the above thread. First a bit about my strop experience. I have a Tony Miller 2.5 inch wide latigo, with cotton webbing, Dovo white pasted strap--see below. I also have a vintage horse cordovan shell strop in great shape with a Hess Milk Labs Silk Finish strap. I also have a vintage shell strop in less great shape, that still does a pretty good job, which has been sanded down and oiled, and has quite a bit of draw for a horse shell strop. In the past I have owned and used lesser quality rawhide type strops. I have a decent barber's hone and a nice wood paddle strop covered with hard felt with diamond spray on one side and CrO on another. I also owned and used for a long time balsa strops with both separate diamond spray and CrO. I have never used a Japanese cordovan strop or, say, any of the Hand American products. On to the product! Fit and Finish, Thickness of Leather, Overall Appearance--Workmanship and quality of leather is wonderful. Strop is a beautiful honey color. Very distinctive. Very thick, but not so stiff. Has a suppleness to it with without any tendency that I find for the leather to cup. Hardware is top notch. 2 inch wide cotton webbing strap is same as what I bought separately from Ambrose in the past and is very nice. I pasted mine with Dovo white paste and it seems ideal for doing that. Maker stamp is very nice. Design--A beautiful design that is lavish in its use of stunning leather. Strop is one piece with a barber's end--my favorite and what my vintage strops have--and an elegant fold over top. Lots of square inches to use to strop. A long and elegant old school look. The one piece design and the excellent fit and finish give it stunningly clean, long lines. Luxurious. Amount of Draw, Efficacy--Here is where this strop really shines, and I truly hope I am not exaggerating in what I say here, because I am skeptical myself as to whether any strop can make that much of a difference in an edge compared to any other strop. As others have said, it does not have the amount of draw of latigo, but has much more draw than most shell/horse strops, at least the ones I have used, even the one I sanded down quite a bit to remove damage. There is something very pleasant about that specifc level of draw. Also, very pleasant to touch the leather and hold it in one's hand. A substantial feeling tool in every respect. The part that seems to much to be true, is that I have (on loan to me) a Double Duck Wonderedge and a DD Special Wedge, which each had amazing edges on them to start with. I may not be the best stropper in the world, but I sure did not change technique for this strop, and as nice as the edges were before they took a noticeable step up--smoother and sharper--after being stropped on this strop as a finishing strop. I find that hard to believe, as I was not exactly using poor quality strops to begin with. Value--I expect these strops to last forever. Craftsmanship is great. Quality of leather seems wonderful. The design is beautiful, but also the one piece aspect uses long pieces of very nice leather. A super value. I have always taken exceptional pleasure in owning the TM latigo strop. Such a thing of craftsmanship and beauty to look at and use. I take equal (or more because of the additional elegance of the one piece design) pleasure in owning and using this strop. Kudos. Probably should use the thread above for comments that are not full reviews.

3" black cowhide leather strop

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:35:50 -0700

by: 59caddy

Description: this strop is very well constructed from thick cowhide. the strop area is 22" giving plenty of room for longer strokes on the blade. overall length is 32" with the "D" rings(also available with leather handles) the draw on this strop is in my opinion better than my red latigo. this strop really improves the shave of my straights that i have used on it. priced at about $50 it is a absolute great deal and will give years of use and satisfaction. this product made by a true craftsman and member here. i would highly recommend everyone to try one of these well built and great looking strops.

Dovo Prima Rindleder 1 3/4'' (two side)

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:23:23 -0700

by: Zino Davidoff

Description: Not everything is better, here in the Old World. Sure we have the three T, Harris, Dovo, Thiers-Issard, Filarmonica, Mastro Livi and a plethora of vintage pieces. But there's something we haven't got. We have no quality strops. Sure, we have a lot of industrial made strops, but the difference with a Miller or a Kitayama is simply embarassing. For a lot of us Italians this Dovo strop (or his paddle cousin) is the one and the last we'll buy. Sad, huh? :thumbdown I have this strop, double sided (linen at the back) and a 3'' Red Latigo Miller Artisan. [B]Fit & Finish[/B] Not bad, for an industrial made cheap(ish) product. The leather is smooth, the linen is not creased and the metal fittings are well made. There are no screws, everything is pasted and stitched; once damaged, this strop goes straight in the bin. [B]Amount of Draw[/B] Very very little draw. This, and the reduced width, makes its use quite complicated for a novice (X movements galore, with no pressure [B]at all[/B]). Alas, on this side of the Ocean, a strop larger than 2'' is quite difficult to obtain. [B]Thickness of Leather[/B] Average. Enough said. [B]Efficacy[/B] [I]Per se[/I], the leather side is not so good, without the linen the rating will be about [B]3[/B]. Use the linen side everyday before the leather, and this strop starts to become a good value for the money. [B]Overall Value[/B] I think that for a mere "razor user" (one or two [I]hollow ground[/I] pieces, bought new and carefully honed and preserved), this can be a good strop. A vintage collector, with many exoteric pieces (wedges, japanese...), should steer clear and buy something with a lot more draw (Russian leather, Latigo or Horsehide). After I bought the Miller, I recycled this one by pasting the linen side with CrOx (french paste, mysterious brand). Now I use it sometimes, to remember myself why I prefer the Latigo :thumbup:

Hand American "Chicago Special"

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:47:11 -0700

by: Ookla The Mok

Description: [B][U]Fit & Finish[/U][/B] Overall, this is a very polished product. The leather is smooth, even and free of any irregularities. The hardware is clean looking and the fancy chicago screw is a nice touch. The lettering is perfect and I think offering the initials free of cost adds a very welcome personal touch to the strop. The diamond embossed back is even in depth and consistent. However, it does appear that mine was embossed a degree or 2 askew. The embossing is slightly off center near the bottom. I deducted points here for fit and finish, but with 28" of strop, I don't see it as a functional issue. [IMG]http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=82971&stc=1&d=1263139395[/IMG] [B][U] Amount of Draw [/U][/B] I can't really rate the amount of draw as I don't think horsehide is intended to have a heavy draw. The strop does have a silky smooth glide as opposed to the velvety draw of latigo. The embossed side is very interesting. It looks like a harder surface than it feels while using it. It certainly provides significantly more resistance than the front side, but less than cotton or linen. [IMG]http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=82968&stc=1&d=1263139373[/IMG] [U][B]Thickness of Leather[/B][/U] 10 can be the only real rating here. The strop is made by bonding 2 pieces back to back, but either piece would be thick on it's own. The two combined provide a very thick and fairly rigid stropping surface. You would really have to try hard to put a lot of "sag" in the strop while using it. I'll let the picture tell the rest of the story. [IMG]http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=82970&stc=1&d=1263139386[/IMG] [B][U]Efficacy[/U][/B] I don't think horsehide works as fast as Latigo, but it does work. I have really had superb shaves when using this strop. Not to say that any of my other strops didn't provide the same. The backside of this strop is where the difference is more pronounced. I wasn't sold on the diamond embossed horsehide at first, but it has been giving me very similar results as any of my cloth components. A very different feel, but effective. [B][U]Overall Value[/U][/B] At $75, it's not a cheap strop. However, you get a top notch handmade strop. It's a whopping 28" long and the back is something that nobody else (to my knowledge) is offering. The free initials add nice personal touch as well. Horsehide may not be for everyone, but this is a very nice piece. I purchased mine with the split leather/hard felt strop as well. I'll leave that out of the picture, as it's a whole different strop.

Ray-Man 3inch Balsa stop

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:27:28 -0700

by: maierar

Description: As promised, here is my opinion of the balsa strop from Ray: It arrived quickly and well packaged. The quality of the materials and construction are flawless. It effortlessly restored the edge on a tired blade. I found it much easier to use than my pasted leather strop. I actually ordered mine to be double-sided, but Ray felt that this might risk contamination of the 2 different pastes, so he wisely steered me toward 2 separate units, each of which is an efficient, good looking addition to my sharpening arsenal. Using the 2 balsa stops (one with the supplied green CrO, and the other with red paste) was all that was necessary to make my new Dovo shave ready. I still feel guilty about paying so little for so much. It came with felt pads as "feet". I added a 4inch-long handle which I find makes it easier to use on a fairly crowded desk. Also included was an additional packet of CrO. I think I'm set for years.

TM Heirlom 2" Artisan "Old School" Strop

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:05:32 -0600

by: Leche

Description: [ATTACH]71423[/ATTACH] Let me introduce you to one beautiful piece of craftsmanship, the Tony Miller 2" Artisan "Old School" Strop. I have been using it for several months now and it just keeps getting better and better. When I received it, after some exemplary service from Mr. Miller, the strop was perfect. Packaged carefully, the strop had no kinks, cracks, etc. It feels wonderful in the hands and as you run a straight down it. [B][U]Fit & Finish:[/U][/B] This strop is a work of love. The quality and craftsmanship is wonderful. You don't see this type of work to often. The hardware is heavy, attached securely, and made to last. [I]Heavy Hardware[/I] [ATTACH]71421[/ATTACH] [I]The TM Seal[/I] [ATTACH]71422[/ATTACH] [B][U]Amount of Draw:[/U][/B] The latigo has considerable draw compared to my vintage horsehide strop. Makes a nice rich sound as you strop and my razors always feel very smooth. [B][U]Thickness of Leather:[/U][/B] Both the latigo and the smooth cotton are quite thick. I have seen other strops that are thinner. The TM gives you confidence in the quality of materials. [ATTACH]71424[/ATTACH] [B][U]Efficacy:[/U][/B] This is a great tool to help keep your razors in great shape. The leather is nice and flat giving a good consistent stropping surface. The strap is a nice tight weave without flaws. [B][U]Overall Value:[/U][/B] A BIG 10 here. Tony's strops are priced right and compared to the new stuff that's available these are leaps and bounds over the competition. Some have complained about the availability and such but these are more than worth the effort. If you want a 2" strop look no further than this one. Now for some personal notes. I really like the 2" surface as doing the X pattern came naturally to me. My one concern was the D rings. My other strop has handles which I thought I liked. Then I got to use the D rings. These feel so much more natural and secure to me.

Straight Razor Designs 2" Latigo/Webbing

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:50:05 -0600

by: SavantStrike

Description: [SIZE="3"]Discussion thread [URL=http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1496984#post1496984] HERE [/URL] [/SIZE] Aesthetics: As stated, this is a beautiful strop to look at. I particularly enjoy how the design of this strop breaks away from the traditional barber's edge (no handle at all), or dee ring (if one was lucky) strops of yesteryear, yet it still looks like it could be at home in any bathroom or barber shop either today or 100 years ago. I still feel like it could use a bit of tweaking, though, to make it look even more original (although I did not take off any points for what boils down to my personal opinion). Fit and Finish: The strop would have gotten a 10 for this category were it not for two problems that have plagued me from the beginning: -The screws that hold the pieces together, while gorgeous, do not have an aggressive enough thread to keep them from rattling apart after a month's worth of stropping. About once a month I have to crawl around on the bathroom floor and look for the screw that holds the two leather halves of the Latigo component's handle, and re attach said screw. :cursing: -1 point -The leather piece that wraps around the swivel hanging hardware is not punched completely symmetrically. As a result, the webbing component always hangs about a quarter of an inch sideways. It's not a [I]huge[/I] deal, but it takes away from what is an otherwise flawless product, so I have to talk a point off here. THE LEATHER :drool:: Hot dang, this strop has some really [I]really[/I] nice Latigo. It's got plenty of draw and it can whip a blade in to shape in no time. I can also attest that the leather is extremely durable. I did some ah, we'll call them --experiments, to see if I could reduce the draw (just because I wanted to try a lighter draw). The strop went through a lot of abuse and remained intact. It wasn't designed for this, yet it stood the test. So the leather gets a 10 for draw and a 10 for efficacy The Webbing: The trouble with this strop is the webbing that's on it. Not only did it come creased (which took a lot of work to flatten out), it just doesn't seem to work. At first the webbing [I]feels[/I] like it's working, albeit strangely. It's kind of like stropping on a seat belt, but you get used to it :lol:. You can certainly hear the satisfying VRRRRAAP of steel on canvas, and you come away from the experience satisfied that it has done it's job. The trouble is if you compare it to real canvas, you can tell right away that it did not do it's job. Canvas pasted with white rouge will have some cutting action, and it is great for daily edge maintenance. Nylon webbing pasted with white rouge has very little cutting action, and the rouge needs to be frequently re applied as it does not seem to want to "stick" to the nylon, which may be related to the fact that nylon is not very porous. The pretty much non existent canvas REALLY detracts from the leather, so unfortunately I have to say that draw and efficacy are not the perfect 10 they should have been, because this strop is clearly sold as a "kit." If you are considering this product, save yourself and buy one without the "canvas." You will be much happier...

New standard setting strop by Ruprazor.com

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:44:50 -0600

by: cityjim

Description: Got this second hand from a straight shaver going back to DE . So this strop is not new . [URL="http://ruprazor.com/store/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=20&category_id=9&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=32"]http://ruprazor.com/store/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=20&category_id=9&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=32[/URL] This Ruprazor 3" Paladin strop gives me a perfect draw . Also I find it restores the edge much faster than my Tony Miller 3" Artisian . I had to strop and strop with my TM and still was not sharp . Always warmed the leather with my skin oils before . It was like the TM quality fell away after a couple months . I make three passes with the Ruprazor and I'm back shaving . Full sharpness is always restored . That says it all for me . Overall quality is a step above my Tony Miller IMO . The Ruprazor horsehide leather feels heavier and more plush . To me there is a real difference between horsehide and cow . The Ruprazor canvas was also a nice surprise . My Tony Miller Artisian has a linen strop that deteriorated very fast . I had a lot of threads hanging off the side . The Rup canvas works for me nicely . I did a lot of comparisons with my TM Artisian strop . I have to say it is a "good" strop . I find my second hand Ruprazor an excellent one . This one actually works for me by restoring the edge . My 3" TM will be up for sale soon . cityjim

Straight Razor Designs 3 Premium I Leather Strop with fabric webbing

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:05:55 -0600

by: BeBerlin

Description: Okay, I will admit it. I have a weak spot for strops. I also have a very weak spot for tools that combine tradition with progress. Let me introduce you to a combination of both. I have had this strop for about a week now. Since then, I could not resist the temptation to sneak into the bathroom and strop, strop, and strop again. While the leather did indeed feel a little slick in the beginning, it has now acquired a tremendous amount of draw. For comparison purposes, my [URL="http://www.straightrazorplace.com/forums/strop-reviews/34748-different-scent-old-traditional-natur.html"]The Different Scent: "Old Traditional natur"[/URL] has been the benchmark so far. However, it takes a different approach, as it comes with a leather side only. Let me begin by saying that Don and Lynn know how to ship their products professionally. The strop is not rolled up, but comes in a very nice package, and is sealed in waterproof foil. Ruin this, Deutsche Post! [URL="http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02593_Med.jpg.0.html"][IMG]http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02593_pre.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [B]Fit & Finish:[/B] Loving attention to every detail. Flawless leather, nice rivets, the webbing feels good, and also works well. It even comes with a carabiner and an o-ring - brilliant. You have to have held one in your hands (luckily, [URL="http://straightrazordesigns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=36&products_id=670"]they can be obtained from SRD for very reasonable money[/URL]), to appreciate how well this strop is made. [URL="http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02597_Med.jpg.2.html"][IMG]http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02597_pre.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://tohserver.com/~robin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02597_Med.jpg.2.html"][IMG]http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02599_pre.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02595_Med.jpg.1.html"][IMG]http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02595_pre.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The fact that the strop basically consists of two strops took a little getting used to, but it is an excellent idea, and works exceedingly well. [B]Amount of Draw:[/B] 9 for the time being. The strop might develop even more, but it is already the best strop I have ever had as far as feedback is concerned. I am currently test driving a number of Zwillingswerk production hones from the 70s on a limited number of razors, but the strop did an equally top notch job at polishing such diverse razors as a [URL="http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Mehl,_Hermann_%22Special%22_7/8"]7/8 Hermann Mehl extra hollow ground[/URL], a [URL="http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Deutsch,_Otto_%22Hans%22_6/8"]6/8 Otto Deutsch Hans[/URL], and a [URL="http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Sellers,_John_%26_Sons_%22Unnamed_wedge_in_ivory%22_6/8"]John Sellers wedge[/URL]. :001_tt1: [B]Efficacy:[/B] Perfect. Maybe not the strop with which to win speed stropping contests, but it fits my personal stropping speed perfectly. [B]Thickness of Leather:[/B] Thickest strop I own. Only time will tell how long it will last, but all the materials look and feel valuable, and like they were built to last. The thickness of the leather also means, though, that this strop is not meant to be carried around, but hung up on a wall, and adored. It is [I]not[/I] a travel strop. It is a [I]very[/I] big strop (stropping area is 17 inches by 3 inches. Overall length is 28 inches). I have learnt to really like the width over the past few days. Here is a comparison to an Illinois #127, and the Old Traditional: [URL="http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02601_Med.jpg.4.html"][IMG]http://tohserver.com/%7Erobin/SRP/gallery/SRD-Premium-1/dsc02601_pre.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [B]Overall value:[/B] Somebody has put a lot of thought into this strop, but also made sure it looks good. And as you can order spare parts for it, it might be the only strop you will ever need. Highly recommended! The [URL="http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1389724#post1389724"]discussion thread is here[/URL].

Straight Razor Designs Premium I Leather and Cotton Herringbone

Thu, 21 May 2009 13:40:15 -0600

by: TstebinsB

Description: [CENTER][IMG]http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/55/strop030.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Although [URL="http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/main.sc;jsessionid=AE4D8BB42AE3ACCC98D4E5F5571C157A.qscstrfrnt02"]Tony Miller[/URL] is a well-known strop maker who has deservedly garnered the respect of many, I decided to try out a [URL="http://straightrazordesigns.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=36"]Straight Razor Designs[/URL] strop. This strop consists of Premium I leather and Cotton Herringbone canvas. This combination is not normally available. However, through a wonderful feature called "Build Your Own Strop," I was able to create this custom pairing. [B][U][SIZE="3"]Appearance[/SIZE][/U][/B] At first glance, I notice the richness of tan leather. There are black and red Latigo options but the Premium I comes in this color only. The leather is thick yet soft and supple, as advertised. The edges are smooth and clean. After some closer inspection, I notice a few scratches and scuffs on the leather. They are not egregious but the lighter leather allows imperfections to show clearer. [CENTER][IMG]http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/4585/strop031.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Adorning the leather are screws faceted with an ornate design. They add some flair to an otherwise neutral part. Flipping the strop over, I see that they are included on the cotton herringbone component as well. They are on the front sides of each strop. [CENTER][IMG]http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6209/strop029.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The cotton herringbone arrived with plainly visible creases. Apparently, the canvas had folded upon itself during transport. This was exacerbated by the thinness of the strop. Tony Miller's smooth cotton strop is noticeably thicker and of finer quality. The SRD cotton looks and feels like the canvas strap on a bag; in other words, it comes off as cheap. I had to iron it for it to regain its proper shape. [CENTER][IMG]http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/4383/strop032.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [B][U][SIZE="3"]Use[/SIZE][/U][/B] The Premium I leather is as good as advertised. Right out of the box, I was able to use it without any treatment on my part. I own mostly hollow ground razors and the light draw works perfectly for them. It's somewhere between Horsehide or Shell and Latigo. I'm not a fan of the X-pattern and the 3" width suits me well. As for the cotton strop, my fears were realized. When a leather strop has a light draw, the cotton or linen component is even more important. Much of the work of keeping a sharp edge is done on that component. This is why most, if not all, vintage shell or horsehide strops have a thick [I]and[/I] pasted cotton or linen component. This canvas strop is neither thick nor pasted. I made a tiring and inordinate amount of passes on it and I never achieved my desired result. [B][U][SIZE="3"]Conclusion[/SIZE][/U][/B] I would've rated this strop much higher had it been the Premium I leather only. I'm very pleased with it. However, the herringbone must be included in my review and it brings the overall value of the strop down. I would not purchase the cotton herringbone again. In fact, I would've been better served to buy the Premium I leather strop replacement only at $44.99 + shipping instead of paying $91.73 shipped for both. For those of you who are beginners to stropping, start with Latigo. It's more of an all-purpose leather. I recommend buying a Tony Miller Latigo and Smooth Cotton strop. It provides you with the Latigo component and a cotton component that far outperforms the SRD cotton component. As a supplement that, you can then buy the Premium I strop. Regards and happy shaving!

Bespoke hand-made custom strop

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:35:12 -0700

by: chris daunt

Description: This is my first paddle strop and I only wish it had been available to buy two years ago when I first started straight razor shaving. I'd handled Dovo paddle strops but wanted something with more substance and hadn't found it until now. Steve Dempster of the Invisible Edge seems to be putting out some very high quality custom items at the moment, and the service is both friendly and efficient (shave ready is truly shave ready from this place). As soon as I saw these paddle strops on his site I knew I'd found what I'd been looking for. The craftsmanship is superb. Mine is constructed from lacquered ash with latigo leather and substantial stainless hanger, with a mighty 3" width. It makes the others out there look like toys. Performance? I can do no better than say that, at long last, my TI 1884 is now producing a shave worthy of it's venerable name. I have to confess that my prize razor never lived up to my hopes, until now. It was the first blade I took to the paddle strop, having pasted up one side with diamond paste. The amount of springs feels perfect and being able to strop on the 3" width is a treat. The mirror polish boded well and the resulting shave was significantly better than anything before. Ditto the rest of my blades. One of the best purchases I've ever made.:thumbup1:

Tony Miller's Heirloom Artisan 3" Wide Red Latigo Strop

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 08:21:50 -0700

by: Alan1SC

Description: This is my first strop from Tony, and was recommended to me by my friend Stogieiv. I went to his site, wanting this model, but in horsehide. I have an older Illinois horsehide strop, and another strop that's cowhide, and thought that if I was going to pay this kind of money, I might as well get the best, horsehide. I got an e-mail back from Tony, informing me that until further notice, he had no supply of horsehide, and recommended the Red Latigo model. Honest truth, guys, I was a little disappointed, at least until it came! Now, I opted for the pure linen strop, and I know that linen is either really liked or really not - one of those personal preferences. I'll touch on that first; I've never used canvas, but just on principle, I'm sure it's excellent, and maybe even better than linen. I just don't know, but you folks can set me straight. All I can say is that on a few older and well-used straights, I used my Norton 4000/8000, then went to the linen on this strop, followed by the rough side, and finally, the smooth Latigo leather with all of them, and they shave wonderfully. The linen - to me - seemed to do exactly what it's supposed to do. Now, maybe the canvas would have done the same, for $11 less, but I'm really pleased with the linen strop. Before I touch on the leather, a word on construction; how any leather product, from any genre, could be better-made, more substantial, etc., I have no idea. I have no doubt but that this (and other of Tony's strops) represents the apex of strop manufacture. Every bit of it seems almost overbuilt, it's stunningly beautiful, the leather is just a perfect thickness - thick enough to be substantial, yet pliable enough to be extremely easy to use. The "rough" side of this Red Latigo might be my most pleasant surprise, at least when compared with other strops. The draw is quite firm, yet totally comfortable. It's just "uniform"...no bumps, just one gorgeous piece of suede. The first time that I stropped on that beautiful wide swath of Red Latigo, I knew I'd keep this strop until it literally falls apart. The draw is definitely more pronounced than my horsehide strop, but I love that. It makes my razors sing, and leaves the most marvelous edge. In short, it's a magnificent setup, in looks and function. No, it isn't cheap, and while I don't have any extensive collection of strops, I can't believe that there's anything out there that could outperform this. If I read a review one day that says there is, then I'll buy it. Until that unlikely "then", this is my ideal. I know you like them, Joel, but my hat's off to my friend Ted, Stogieiv, who basically just told me that this was the one I needed, period. He was right. My highest recommendation goes to this. Tony - keep up the amazing work... Alan

2.75" Proforma Red Latigo Strop....

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:32:38 -0700

by: joel

Description: [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9766[/IMG] When I heard there was a fella making strops other than Tony, I just knew I had to have one. I bought some of Tony's strops back when he first started making them, and I haven't had a single regret since, so when I heard of the new fella in town, Damon - Proforma Strops, I quickly ordered up a 2.75 inch wide Red Latigo strop to see how it would compare. My Proforma Red Latigo strop (on left) next to my now pasted (green chrome) Tony Miller Beginner strop. (Note: The beginner strop I have is an older model, whereby it does not have a handle "cut into" it as Tony's new beginner strops have) [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9764[/IMG] So, without wasting any time - how does the Proforma strop stack up against the Tony Miller? Well... unfortunately, it doesn't. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad strop by any means, but the $6 less expensive Tony Miller just plumb beats the Proforma in every category. The Tony Miller has a much thicker/heavier cut of leather, the leather is much smoother and of higher quality, the red latigo stain/treatment is MUCH deeper/richer in color, and provides much greater draw, the strop has better mounting hardware (it has a handy leather loop by which you can hang the strop on a strop hook, or on a door handle, faucet, etc) and the Tony Miller strop stay much flatter when pulled taught. When taking all of the above into consideration, then factoring the thicker, nicer, better strop (The Tony Miller) is less expensive, at least for me it's simply a no brainer - the [URL="http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/product.sc?categoryId=2&productId=101"]"Heirloom Starter" from The Well Shaved Gentleman [/URL] is simply the enthusiasts choice. Also, when you figure for a mere $10 more than the cost of the proforma, you could get a [URL="http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/product.sc?categoryId=2&productId=1"]Heirloom Original[/URL] with red latigo AND linen - with MUCH superior, metal mounting hardware. Nice handle, with extra rigidity added by a layer of black latigo on both sides... [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9765[/IMG] Notice the Tony Miller Heirloom starter strop (on the right) is a much thicker cut, and there isn't any "rough" leather on the back sort of hanging out, almost as if it were "hairy" :eek: [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9767[/IMG] Overall - It's a nice strop - look at the review percentage, and it works well... in fact I prefer it to a similarly priced Dovo strop, but with Tony's strops readily available, and providing greater value AND performance, the Proforma strops just can't cut the mustard. I would go as far as to say - if you own a Proforma, and you haven't tried a Tony Miller Red Latigo... you're missing out. TO DISCUSS THIS REVIEW, PLEASE USE [URL="http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=372030#post372030"]THIS THREAD![/URL] :smile:

3" Tony Miller Artisan Horsehide Strop with Genuine Linen Backing.....

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:52:41 -0700

by: joel

Description: [B]Artisan 3" Horsehide on the left - Red Latigo on the right....[/B] [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9117[/IMG] First - let me say, Tony makes some beautiful strops..... I mean they are really something special. Second - let me say, no one "needs" a $100 strop. Now - onto the review.... Stropping surface: The cut of horsehide is nice and thick, and there certainly is no "skimp" on materials here. The horsehide is exceptionally smooth, and the razor just glides across the strop with tremendous ease. There is pretty much no draw from the horsehide. [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9206[/IMG] Genuine Linen Backing: The Genuine Linen is no superior to a standard canvas, and is a little "sloppy" looking compared to tightly woven canvas, as strands of the genuine linen sort of "hang" off the side and such. There isn't really much you (or Tony for that matter) can do about it, and Tony began offering this based on requests from his customers - not based on his feeling that this is a superior linen surface.... as well... it isn't. I recommend passing on this option, as it runs an extra $11, and offers no benefit... if anything it is a detriment, as the rest of the strop is SO incredibly gorgeous, and perfectly crafted - it's almost like paying money to have plasic rims/hubcaps added to a brand new Mercedes. [IMG]http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=9140[/IMG] Quality: The fit and finish on this strop is simply first rate.... so far, this strops are the nicest I have seen/experienced - and I have quite a few strops. The handles, made of black latigo, are superbly made, identical in size and there is not much that could be done (if anything) to improve the quality of this fine strop. Overall: While it is a superbly made strop, and for what it is - a good value - I am not sold on the horsehide, nor the Genuine Linen. I used this strop for a week straight with a 5/8'ths Dovo Tortoise honed on a Belgian Coticule, then did a touch up hone - to get the edge to where I felt it was a week prior and did the same exercise on my standard Tony Miller Red Latigo strop, and the difference was marginal at best - probably in favor of the red latigo. One thing is for sure - the Red Latigo works faster, has more draw, and is more fun to use... at least for me. Essentially the same story for the genuine linen VS canvas... I don't notice a real benefit of one over the other (or using a linen/canvas side at all for that matter) so I would say save the $11. It's an outstanding strop, and you probably cannot get a smoother/slicker strop as a "finishing strop" if you feel you need one, or can/will benefit from one. If you want the prettiest strop out there and aren't afraid of spending a fair amount of $ on a strop, you aren't going to find a better looking (the contrast with the creme colored horsehide and the black latigo handles is gorgeous), finer crafted strop at any price. If on the other hand, you are looking JUST for efficacy/results - I would say stick with a Tony Miller strop in Red Latigo. Do I regret buying the horsehide? Not at all. Would I buy another? I don't think so. TO DISCUSS THIS REVIEW PLEASE SEE [URL="http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=357694#post357694"]THIS[/URL] THREAD!