Thank you in advance,
Larry
Koken Scotch Shell Resto Help
- Thread starter Njguy1977
- Start date
Thank you in advance,
Larry
Wow! That does look like in very goog condition.
Those are all top notch IMO, if it was mine I would use ballistall on that particular leather. It seems to be a lighter colored one. The oils will darken the leather to a more traditional Cordovan color(darker brown). It only matters on your tates at this point. To keep it in the lighter side ballistoll should work just fine as it thinner and a little less work to rub in than oils.
Those are all top notch IMO, if it was mine I would use ballistall on that particular leather. It seems to be a lighter colored one. The oils will darken the leather to a more traditional Cordovan color(darker brown). It only matters on your tates at this point. To keep it in the lighter side ballistoll should work just fine as it thinner and a little less work to rub in than oils.
Strangeness happening here. I haven't seen Koken mentioned too much here but today I scored one like yours and put Koken in the search and this post pop's up. Same one but in very well used condition. I wanted to see if I can bring it back to usefulness for cheap. Delivery in a week....Please let us know what you find out the honing strop portion. Is it 2 sided? Beautiful score!!
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- #5
From what I can tell, the outer portion (with the silver label) is smoother then the inner or back side of the blue honing strop portion. Would I use the inner part, probably not since I have other items at my disposal to re-polish the edge of my straights such as pastes on paddle strops.
I used Ballistoil on my strop and it still has the light patina which I like because its different. I will probably take it apart add another layer of it this weekend and hand rub it everyday like i have been doing. From what I can tell Koken stuff is barber quality and its difficult to find in decent shape since these items were mostly used in the barber profession daily. I cant wait to use my Koken strop with my Hess 44 and get the ultimate barber shave at home lol.
Larry
I used Ballistoil on my strop and it still has the light patina which I like because its different. I will probably take it apart add another layer of it this weekend and hand rub it everyday like i have been doing. From what I can tell Koken stuff is barber quality and its difficult to find in decent shape since these items were mostly used in the barber profession daily. I cant wait to use my Koken strop with my Hess 44 and get the ultimate barber shave at home lol.
Larry
Just got mine in today. I've never, ever felt a piece hide like this. So rubber like. I took the 2 pieces apart to start cleaning and noticed a lot of transfer of the impregnated strop onto the back of the shell portion. I started on the back with saddle soap to get off as much transferred stuff as possible. Didn't want any of it getting on the front during cleaning and handling.
Here is the koken strop I got when I started out. Mine came with a canvas back strop instead of the blue leather looking piece. I'm now assuming the blue strop was damaged beyond repair and someone swapped it out. Looks like we are going to have a new club. The koken strop club.
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- #8
The back of mine is perfect, took mine apart and conditioned twice with balistol. I have a wave in mine tho, when you stretch it to use it, its not there when it hangs loosly its visible. Right now i have it sandwiched with something heavy over it. Hope it does the trick and straighten it out. You are right about it feeling rubberlike, the thickness of it is quite impressive. Definetly can tell its barbershop quality.
Larry
Larry
- Thread starter
- #9
Im all in with joining the club, LOL
Larry
Larry
I do want to say mine is smooth just the spots are just that dark spots. Leather doesn't feel any different on the spots or anything. I kinda like it as it gives the leather its self character to me.
I had to touch mine. It does feel like a velvet texture rubber.
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- #12
More then likely these strops were found hanging on a koken chair in a barber shop. What your seeing with the spots could be anything from water to hair tonic to aftershave that may have splashed a bit during a customers visit. Gives it great character and shows its been used. Its why Im surprised mine looked like it wasnt used at all. If I was going to buy one for my shop chair when it was new, Id use it.
I do use it and love it. Very different feel than any other leather I've used. Though with getting the Tony Miller strop I'm not sure how much I will use any other strop now. But I do like the character the koken has. I'm actually really drawn to a lot of vintage strops for that very reason. The spots the tiny tiny marks even the darkening of the leather where it was held over and over. The history and character scream to me.
Don't do it. Your wallet will hate you
Well, I think I can honestly say mine will never look as nice as the others here but I think it will perform just fine. Nary a nick and a scratch here and there. What is the dark build up on strops? Steel? I try to remove as much as possible. I get a kick out of resurrecting old stuff!
It's leather embossed with a pattern similar to a weave. It's actually a pattern of dots embossed into the leather. I thought it was woven until I looked closer. The front or label side of the blue one has the edges rounded and the back does not. As if only the front was meant to be used. The back side of the blue one's leather doesn't seem to be finished as smooth as the front. The back is just as saturated with the blue stuff though... Ah yes, the blue stuff. I find it to have a waxy feel similar to bar buffing compound. Wants to get on my fingers and I can feel a waxiness on them. Gotta' wash my hands before handling anything else or I'll have a bunch of pasted strops. I think the blue part is going to be put away some where. It's just regular leather with a bunch of blue compound on it.
Haven't tried it yet and I'm reluctant to put a good razor on it. I am going to put some kind of steel to it some day.
Only bought it for the shell. Cheap way to get a serviceable shell strop in my life.
Haven't tried it yet and I'm reluctant to put a good razor on it. I am going to put some kind of steel to it some day.
Only bought it for the shell. Cheap way to get a serviceable shell strop in my life.
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I'm curious if the blue strop is like a black one I have. It says diamond hone but when I ran a razor over it it out like a waxy substance on the edge and spine of the razor. Glad I used a razor that came in a 25 dollar beard set. I didn't like it but I need to figure out exactly what it is and if there is a way to clean it as having a waxy feeling my thought is dust and maybe debris might be in it and don't want to mess up a razor.
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