Kanayama 3 piece strop - the hard way

A month or so back, I was looking for a Kanayama strop, that had the suede piece. I looked at all the sources (So I thought) found AframesTokyo only had the #10000. I bought it, paid the $119 USD (plus $45 usd to Australia) So in AUD was $215. And that was the cordovan plus canvas. In the next week or so I found that Fendrihan a company in Canada had a better range, and I managed to get a #70000, a 3 piece, with the suede for $350 AUD at the time. I didn't rest and was stung again, I bought a single suede piece from JNS to match up with the #10000, (another $102 aud so it is now 3 pieces. Anyone else have better luck than me?
Regards Bob

I have the K3 (leather and suede), and added the same size canvas. It's a wonderful strop, each component, imo.

I originally bought a #3 new, that came with a suede 2nd. Later ran across a used like new 20000 with a canvas 2nd and finally bought a 60000 with a canvas 2nd. I also traded with another B&B member for a suede 2nd. Loves me some Kanayama strops.!

So I hear wonderful things about Kanayama strops. How does it compare to Tony Miller strops?

And I am a sucker for Horween horsehide but I do not know how it would perform as a strop. Here is an example I found:
http://www.razoremporium.com/3-razo...hide-canvas-straight-razor-strop-made-in-usa/

I knew I would only have one Kanayama so I went all in.

sskim3 said:

So I hear wonderful things about Kanayama strops. How does it compare to Tony Miller strops?

And I am a sucker for Horween horsehide but I do not know how it would perform as a strop. Here is an example I found:
http://www.razoremporium.com/3-razo...hide-canvas-straight-razor-strop-made-in-usa/

Click to expand...

I have two new used 70000's one via ebay, from a seller that turned out to be Jnatcat from here, lol and one using the Panjo or whatever the B&B marketplace is called.

I also have a TM plain chocolate with natural flax linen and dee rings.

The TM is a nice product, in fact I just ordered his heirloom one today, the draw is light, but lacks the super velvety smoothness of the 70000's. I also like the fact that the Kanayama is a bit wider and thicker than the TM. The one thing I dont like about the Kanayama is the barbers tail vs the dee rings on the TM. I would have preferred a horsehide TM in a 3" width, but I think the leather is a bit too supple and thin to support that width.

Unfortunately, my TM was damaged in transit. Something heavy crushed the box and creased the strop. I should have rejected the shipment, but I thought I could work the crease out. The strop is functional, but theres a 1"x3" divot in the leather towards the end where the blade does not make contact. This bugs me, so I ordered his heirloom as a replacement. This TM will go downstairs to be the honing strop.

I hope that helps.

My two #70000's were from Fendrihans in Ontario Canada. Postage was with DHL, and I ordered them on the Monday, and it was delivered Friday. That's from Canada to Australia in 5 days. Postage was a reasonable $19.00. I've read good things about the Tony Miller strops,. Are they a lot different to other cordovans? I have all the acquisition disorders, and a few undiagnosed ones, so if anyone who has both strops can let us know whether or not to press the button...again....lol

I have a 70000 from AFrames and it's the only one I have, they are getting harder and harder to get with the suede piece.

Japanese Natural Stones are selling the suede piece on it's own. About $50. ($45 postage on top of that) The rest of their strops are seriously over priced.

decisions decisions......

sskim3 said:

So I hear wonderful things about Kanayama strops. How does it compare to Tony Miller strops?

And I am a sucker for Horween horsehide but I do not know how it would perform as a strop. Here is an example I found:
http://www.razoremporium.com/3-razo...hide-canvas-straight-razor-strop-made-in-usa/

Click to expand...

My Tony Miller was a very high end model, so I don't know if his more affordable stuff is the same, but based on a 3" TM HH vs a #3 Kanayama.

The Kanayama leather is thicker
The Tony Miller leather is stiffer
The Kanayama leather has a feel/draw more similar to a very soft leather couch. It doesn't compress like a soft leather, but if you run your fingers over it, it feels like it would.
The Tony has a feel/draw more similar to saddle leather. It feels "tighter" and "Crisper", but still very slick and fast (they both were notable for how quickly a razor would ride the surface.


Nothing I've used has the same feel as the Kanayama. The feel is so unusual next to other strops that you would think it wasn't leather if it wasn't there in your hands. The Closest duplicate to the Tony Miller's feel is probably my Ambrose Spanish HH (no longer made), but the Ambrose has a TON more draw than the TM did.

In truth, I wasn't overly thrilled about either strop's feel at first. I missed the draw I'm used to from my vintage strops; but once you shave off them a few times and see that they work just as well even without the same level of draw... that almost "slick" sensation grows on you.

I have had quite a few strops, bovine, never had a Cordovan (Horse). Then I got my self a Kanayama #70000. Never felt anything quite so slick. We have heard some blokes say, that because of how fast and slick they are you feel as though you haven't done anything stropping wise. I was familiar with the use of a Latigo and bridle strops, but wow this Kanayama was different. After using it everyday, I can say, it improves the shave, if for no other reason than it is a 'feelgood' thing. But most who have used a Kanayama strop, tend to enjoy the process as well as the result. They are lovely to strop with, even aesthetically they come up trumps.

K3 (cordovan, suede) with the extra linen component comprise my workhorse materials.

I bought two backups of all three materials and won't sell either of them or the first set. Set for life....

(I touch up on Jim Lyons' material as needed)

Aframes has some Kanayama strops in stock, the 70000, 80000 and 90000 are the only ones that come with the 3rd suede piece I believe and he currently has the first two in stock.

How do these compare to some of the high end custom strops with components such as fire hose etc? I have a TM as my travel strop and I can honestly say I don't like it compared to my custom and im wondering if a second custom is a better option over the Kana....

6Cuda6 said:

How do these compare to some of the high end custom strops with components such as fire hose etc? I have a TM as my travel strop and I can honestly say I don't like it compared to my custom and im wondering if a second custom is a better option over the Kana....

Click to expand...

Kanayama strops are cordovan leather, well the higher end ones are (70000-90000) not sure about the others, not sure on his processing but the stropping provides a velvety smooth session that gives excellent feedback, when I want to compare strops to one another I do 100 laps on my Kanayama 70000 and then do an HHT and then do 100 or another and compare edges, lets just say I will not ever be without my Kanayama.

Also have a Scruppleworks oil tanned and two TM Strops ( Fast Bridal and Notovan ) the notovan is very nice as well and so is the Scruppleworks but the Kanayama is at the top.

All of the Kanyama range are Shell cordovan leather, this was clarified recently by Kanoyama. There was a question raised as to the model designations, ie' #10000 #70000 etc being the 'Girt Rating' of the strop. Of course a strop is not an abrasive and as such has no grit. The numbers differentiate strops by the relative thickness of the cordovan piece. A #10000 is say half the thickness of a #70000, and so on.