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 The Different Scent: "Old Traditional natur" 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!
Fit & Finish: 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, they can be obtained from SRD for very reasonable money), to appreciate how well this strop is made.
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.
Amount of Draw: 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 7/8 Hermann Mehl extra hollow ground, a 6/8 Otto Deutsch Hans, and a John Sellers wedge.
Efficacy: Perfect. Maybe not the strop with which to win speed stropping contests, but it fits my personal stropping speed perfectly.
Thickness of Leather: 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 not a travel strop. It is a very 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:
Overall value: 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 discussion thread is here.
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 The Different Scent: "Old Traditional natur" 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!
Fit & Finish: 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, they can be obtained from SRD for very reasonable money), to appreciate how well this strop is made.
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.
Amount of Draw: 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 7/8 Hermann Mehl extra hollow ground, a 6/8 Otto Deutsch Hans, and a John Sellers wedge.
Efficacy: Perfect. Maybe not the strop with which to win speed stropping contests, but it fits my personal stropping speed perfectly.
Thickness of Leather: 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 not a travel strop. It is a very 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:
Overall value: 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 discussion thread is here.
