Hand American

[Seraphim]

Just got a new strop:

Oh yes!

Hand American Old Dog Classic 830 English Bridle leather main strop with pressed diamond embossed horsehide back strop. Also included was a hard felt strop, bonded to split leather with 0.5um diamond spray!

I haven't even used it yet, but I'm giddy with excitement! Feels like bomber construction that will last.

Take a look, it's definitely a cool strop setup!

 

[Seraphim]

And the felt strop is dual surface as well, except these are bonded together:

 

[jadam318]

Very nice!

 

[vior]

Nice choice! I have the classic 905 and it is both a pleasure to look at and use. At first I was hesitant about using the diamond embossed side but it works great and is a bit faster than linen.

 

[stroppy]

Very, very nice!

 

[leighton]

Why is the horse embossed? Besides from looking awesome!!!!

 

[mainaman]

How wide is it?
I remember someone mentioned 2.5"?

 

[mdunn]

Why is the horse embossed? Besides from looking awesome!!!!

im wondering that too.

from viors post I take that its like a linen strop, for a bit of roughwork before leather - but given its the same material, im wondering why/how it works in that manner

 

[psychoshonen]

Talk about timing! I actually just started eyeing the SRD Premium IV strop, made of bridle leather, and was wondering what experiences people had had with that kind of leather, as it doesn't receive the kind of press that latigo, horesehide, or cordovan does. Looking forward to your review Seraphim!

 

[huracan]

WOW, nice.

For some reason I thought from reading the HA website before that the embossing was done on the other side of the smooth main side. I guess not

So this all was included with the Old Dog purchase right? EDIT: Just revisited the site, I see you can order the Old Dog by itself or you can add the hardwool for and extra $27.5

 

[Sticky]

Why is the horse embossed? Besides from looking awesome!!!!

Interrupted surfaces are more aggressive, abrasion/friction-wise. They are also great as clearance-cuts if you use paste (e.g. lapping plates). DMT says the same about their "polka-dot" hones vs the continuous models.

Edit: l just visited the HandAmerican site and see they say the same thing. quote: "This is our version of a Russian technique that creates a more aggressive surface in the hide."

 

[leighton]

Interrupted surfaces are more aggressive, abrasion/friction-wise. They are also great as clearance-cuts if you use paste (e.g. lapping plates). DMT says the same about their "polka-dot" hones vs the continuous models.

Forgive me if I'm only viewing one side, but that makes no sense with horsehide. Horse is supposed to be really slick. As for pastes... I think a kitten just cried listening to that.

edit: visited the Hand American site, and the picture of the embossing indeed looks like the back of the red latigo, not a separate strop.

 

[Seraphim]

WOW, nice.

For some reason I thought from reading the HA website before that the embossing was done on the other side of the smooth main side. I guess not

So this all was included with the Old Dog purchase right? EDIT: Just revisited the site, I see you can order the Old Dog by itself or you can add the hardwool for and extra $27.5

That was how he was doing it, then he tried this as a possible improvement. It held up delivery of my strop for a bit, but well worth the wait! Two strops? One bridle, one patterned horsehide? FUGGETABOUTIT!

 

[Seraphim]

I already had a shave earlier today at the gym with another strop. But I just gave the Old Dog a test drive.

I used both a vintage Sheffield 1/2 hollow, and a Solingen 8/8 full hollow.

The bridle leather is fast and easy to strop on, but doesn't have that glassy feeling that horsehide shell has. Doesn't have that super-draw feel of latigo either. It definitely has a feel all it's own. Nice!

I gave a few laps on the patterned horsehide, but I didn't go nuts on there, as I had just honed up these razors, so they were not in need of any sort of tune-up stropping that the patterned diamond is supposedly designed for. WHat can I say other than it gave a nice "ZZzzzzzzzzip,ZZzzzzzzzzip,ZZzzzzzzzzip!"

 

[qdaddy]

Jealously, envy, yep..........

 

[Otterknowbetter]

Anybody know what's up with their web site? It been down every time I've gone to it for a number of weeks now. Is the owner on B&B?

Later,
Paul.

 

[Seraphim]

Anybody know what's up with their web site? It been down every time I've gone to it for a number of weeks now. Is the owner on B&B?

Later,
Paul.

He said it should be up today.

 

[Muirtach]

Looking forward to your review Seraphim. I'm on the fence between a TM horsehide or this guy and your feed back would be great.

 

[Seraphim]

Looking forward to your review Seraphim. I'm on the fence between a TM horsehide or this guy and your feed back would be great.

Well, the problem there, is that I've never used TM horsehide, so I cannot compare/contrast those two. TM strops are total quality, and I really don't think I could ever recommend any strop over a TM.

The HA is high quality as well, and has a slightly different flavor. The bridle leather is unique, it's a bit longer than most strops.

You are left to make your own decision between a BMW and a Mercedes when trying to decide which to get

 

[Muirtach]

Kind of what I figured I was at. Guess I'll make a decision in the morning