Pass Around / Give Away Roughout Horsehide Strop Free Sign Up

[Ky K]

Tony Miler thanks for the heads up. I am on the pass around list. And thanks again.

RumpleBearskin
MilkCrate

@trentr
@LJS
@Boz
@Frank Shaves
@Luecke2326
@2bit_collie
@Ky K


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MilkCrate]

@RumpleBearskin - Done and shipped
@MilkCrate - Done and shipped
@trentr -In transit
@LJS
@Boz
@Frank Shaves
@Luecke2326
@2bit_collie
@Ky K

Ok, the strop is headed to Trent.

What else can I tell you that hasn’t been said yet? We all know that Tony’s attention to detail is top notch. And this is one fantastic stop! The draw is fast and light without any hint of sticking. The linen is leaps and bounds nicer than cotton too.

I am really smitten with this one and think it’s a “must buy” I would recommend it without any reservation. Tony thank you for the opportunity to try this strop!

 

[trentr]

Strop has arrived. Do not kick me off the forum....but do I strop on the side with the horse head stamped in it? Or the words printed? I would assume head. That being the case, I may have been using the wrong side of mine.

My cheap Chinese strop is the only I have ever used. One side is soft and fluffy. One side is hard and rough. I use the hard side. It has smoothed out with oil and rubbing and use. Still quite hard though. I get good shaves and my razors pass TTT and HHT. It keeps getting better with ise or expeience....or both. I have been using it 1 year? 18 months? Idk.

Now to the Heirloom:

WOWWWWW! Felt great before even putting a razor on it. Looks great. First touch of a razor to it and I knew it was in another league. 50 light laps on horse head side (hope that is right) and it passes the hair tests with a surprising new degree of silence. The shave was better as well. To be flat out, I was more meticulous than usual with every step from prep to shave as I was testing a new toy. Wait...not a toy. This is a serious strop. I love it.

After someone tells me which side to use: ( I will try it again. Perhaps experiment with the linen some. And then send it on as I am already sold.

 

[xuzxuz]

but do I strop on the side with the horse head stamped in it?

May the horse be with you.

 

[trentr]

May the horse be with you.

But how do I see with the blast shield down?

 

[rockviper]

 

[Tanuki]

My impatience and profligacy were rewarded when my 3" roughout horse cantered in with yesterday's mail. I've been stropping with my 3" Heirloom roughout steerhide to get a baseline for comparison. All my Heirloom strops are 3" D-ring (melodious chimes!). That works perfectly for me.

First, props to @Tony Miller , he is a great guy and the man you want on the other side of a strop purchase. He makes sure every detail is exactly right.

I immediately pulled out a variety of SRs with different grinds, blade widths and weights for a bit of stropping. Then today, I stropped and used two different detail razors for the first shave test.

Executive summary:
1) I'm liking my Heirloom horsehide strops better than than my steerhide. Day 1, the roughout horsehide is easier, suppler, more comfortable than the roughout steer. When fully broken in, my steerhide experience may catch up to the horsehide.

2) Even though I like it best, my 3" Horween smooth horsehide can't drive off my other Tony Millers. The new roughout looks to take the second step on the podium. I have moved my linen components to the ponies, the cattle get the cotton.

3) The TM Heirloom herd has dominated my restored vintage strops and my vaunted Japanese-crafted (you know who) strop.

The TL;DR part:
My stropping relies on a tight strop hanging close to vertical and a very light touch while ensuring even spine and edge contact across the length of the blade. (A good hanger/handle is important!) So, meticulous and maybe slower than it could be. Not at all like the stropping in the barbershop scene in a classic Western.

Consequently, to me the differences in draw are subtle and I don't think I am the guy to usefully label strops as light or heavy draw. I notice surface suppleness versus hardness, the acoustic and tactile feedback differences among strops and razors. All these factors contribute to making stropping easy and error free. (Or difficult and error prone with the wrong strop or razor.)

I struggle, so far, to find major differences in my edges from my various quality strops.

Not stropping on leather is very noticeable, but the honing and finishing make a much greater difference in edge comfort. I expect my strop rotation will eventually demonstrate significant edge effectiveness/comfort differences, but I think there is a break in requirement I need to meet, especially with steerhide. Plus I need to rotate strops more and razors less.

 

[trentr]

@RumpleBearskin - Done and shipped
@MilkCrate - Done and shipped
@trentr -Done and shipped
@LJS -In transit
@Boz
@Frank Shaves
@Luecke2326
@2bit_collie
@Ky K

 

[Tanuki]

Dovo Carre with TM linen (20) then roughout horsehide (40). I skipped my usual pre-shave 60 laps on .1u diamond/balsa.

Both thumbs up!

 

[Cleanface]

REVISED I'd like to be in.

@RumpleBearskin - Done and shipped
@MilkCrate - Done and shipped
@trentr -Done and shipped
@LJS -In transit
@Boz
@Frank Shaves
@Luecke2326
@2bit_collie
@Ky K
@Cleanface

Thanks

 

[LJS]

Strop received - will be testing a few razors daily and report back.

 

[LJS]

Man this thing has soaked up at least half of a quart of synth 20w-50! Still soaking it up. Will report back shortly

 

[Tanuki]

With my 8/8 Revisor full hollow, the difference from my smooth Tony Miller horsehide in stropping action and the audio is quite noticeable. 20/40 laps again. The resulting edge was excellent, smooth and comfortable, laying waste to two day stubble and easily moving my beard margins back about 1/2", both neck and cheeks. This roughout is passing every test.

 

[LJS]

OK, was a little early on the April Fools But had to try! For anyone reading this and not 100% aware, please don’t turn nice leather strops into oily sponges.

Tony, strop is very nice build as I have always heard. Hardware is top notch as is fit/finish and numerous details. The leather is interesting and I appreciate the opportunity to give it a free test-drive. I have used and enjoyed suede strops as well as some decent flesh-sides and while similar to flesh-sides I have used (bovine) this is a little different and maybe faster. I will probably always gravitate back to a smooth strop but every once in a while want that suede/flesh feel and this delivers.

The linen I also liked. A mild finer weave than what I use now so it felt pretty good under the blade.

Biggest take home is that I massively miss my old 3” strop and this has driven that fact home. The 2.5” I have been using just doesn’t do it for me the same as 3” :-( I didn’t realize it as much as having a 3” in hand again and it was so much nicer. This is just a preference thing but for me it is a big one.

Used softer steels, harder Swedish, kamisoris etc and strop performed similarly for all. Tony does a great job as many have noted for years.

 

[Boz]

OK, was a little early on the April Fools But had to try! For anyone reading this and not 100% aware, please don’t turn nice leather strops into oily sponges.

Tony, strop is very nice build as I have always heard. Hardware is top notch as is fit/finish and numerous details. The leather is interesting and I appreciate the opportunity to give it a free test-drive. I have used and enjoyed suede strops as well as some decent flesh-sides and while similar to flesh-sides I have used (bovine) this is a little different and maybe faster. I will probably always gravitate back to a smooth strop but every once in a while want that suede/flesh feel and this delivers.

The linen I also liked. A mild finer weave than what I use now so it felt pretty good under the blade.

Biggest take home is that I massively miss my old 3” strop and this has driven that fact home. The 2.5” I have been using just doesn’t do it for me the same as 3” :-( I didn’t realize it as much as having a 3” in hand again and it was so much nicer. This is just a preference thing but for me it is a big one.

Used softer steels, harder Swedish, kamisoris etc and strop performed similarly for all. Tony does a great job as many have noted for years.

After your post about the oil I got the kitty Litter out so I could remove excess oil.

 

[LJS]

After your post about the oil I got the kitty Litter out so I could remove excess oil.

Don’t worry! All that will boil off and harden when I bake it for a few hours

 

[Tanuki]

Stropped a softer steel Cattaraugus Cutlery 5/8 today. Excellent feel/draw and shave performance.

Tony Miller quality, 3" width, horsehide... rough or smooth these define a great strop for me. The roughout is a different feel and sound. I should always pick it if I need to wake up a little.

 

[LJS]

OK, off to the next lucky gentleman. Thanks for the opportunity to give it a try.

@RumpleBearskin - Done and shipped
@RumpleBearskin - Done and shipped
@MilkCrate - Done and shipped
@trentr -Done and shipped
@LJS -Done and shipped
@Boz -In transit
@Frank Shaves
@Luecke2326
@2bit_collie
@Ky K
@Cleanface

 

[LJS]

@Boz - tracking said it made it a couple days ago. Just confirming

9505511500311095254490

 

[Boz]

I received the strop Thursday and have been using it.
The materials and labor used in construction are high quality.
The leather produces a heavier draw than I am used to. My heaviest draw is an English Bridal. I do find stropping on it enjoyable.
I will be stropping and shaving with razors made in England, Germany and Sweden. I don't expect to see any change made by one use of the strop.
The strop should be in the mail Wednesday to @Frank Shaves

I am replacing the box with one of similar size, looks like it just barley survived the wars.