Item 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? 
I have this strop, double sided (linen at the back) and a 3'' Red Latigo Miller Artisan.
Fit & Finish
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.
Amount of Draw
Very very little draw. This, and the reduced width, makes its use quite complicated for a novice (X movements galore, with no pressure at all). Alas, on this side of the Ocean, a strop larger than 2'' is quite difficult to obtain.
Thickness of Leather
Average. Enough said.
Efficacy
Per se, the leather side is not so good, without the linen the rating will be about 3. Use the linen side everyday before the leather, and this strop starts to become a good value for the money.
Overall Value
I think that for a mere "razor user" (one or two hollow ground 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
I have this strop, double sided (linen at the back) and a 3'' Red Latigo Miller Artisan.
Fit & Finish
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.
Amount of Draw
Very very little draw. This, and the reduced width, makes its use quite complicated for a novice (X movements galore, with no pressure at all). Alas, on this side of the Ocean, a strop larger than 2'' is quite difficult to obtain.
Thickness of Leather
Average. Enough said.
Efficacy
Per se, the leather side is not so good, without the linen the rating will be about 3. Use the linen side everyday before the leather, and this strop starts to become a good value for the money.
Overall Value
I think that for a mere "razor user" (one or two hollow ground 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
. The linen has a sag to it and is difficult to get tight. The leather though is clean cut and there is no blemishes or scarring. A nice smooth surface.
