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Rasoir Sabre France Horsehide (Shell) & Denim Hanging Strop

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Rasoir Sabre France Horsehide and Denim Hanging Strop: I've been using this strop for a while.

I like it as much as I'd hoped I might.

To say it's big would be an understatement. It was made in France and measures 3.4" in width. The length is 18.6″. It's thick.

HorsehideStrop.3-4-19.BST.640.JPG



I didn't realize until just a little while ago that the strop is horse shell hide. I'd thought it was horsehide, and not shell.

I learned from this post how to tell the difference between cow, horsehide, and shell. I've not looked at my leathers yet with the loupe but will soon enough.

If you have a loupe look at the leather (working side)
  • If you can see a pore structure (pockmarks - small craters) it is cow.
  • If it looks like a kaleidoscope (without the colors) it is horse.
  • If it is the same on the backside- it is shell - generally.
Cool, right? I've not tried looking with the loupes yet, but I believe I see in the top photo the patterns I've read about indicative of horse (and shell).

Horse.Srop.640.3-4-19.JPG


Part of the reason I'm posting this is because I enjoyed reading Jarrod's description of this item. Mine came from the BST; when I bought it, the item was out of stock at Jarrod's place, but it's available now.

upload_2019-8-16_19-9-26.png


I'm not anywhere near as familiar with a variety of strops as Jarrod, but I find the strop performs very nicely for me. His description lines up with my impression of the strop, but I do not experience the draw as objectionable in any sense.

upload_2019-8-16_19-39-59.png


Jarrod also says this...

Not like a cordovan shell, if you were wondering. More like a horse version of a ‘latigo’ type calf/steerhide, ie heavily tanned with strong tannins in the first step and this keeps extra oils in the hide which enhance durability but also slow down the strop’s action considerably.

...but, again, I find the draw perfectly okay. Not fast, certainly.

I'm not saying anyone other than me would like this strop, but I find there is a lot to like about it.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I own it and it is indeed a tremendous strop! It comes from Jarrod very waxy, and the smell is fantastic. After a break in period the draw decreases a little, but it is still a heavier draw strop. It also scratches very easily, but it does not seem to affect the stropping results.

I find it very good to strop on, feedback is great, you really feel the edge being aligned.

Regarding the Shell part... Well, it is certainly very different than my Kanayama and Scruple works shell strops. At the same time, it is also very different than my other horsehide strops (Notovan from TM, scruple world oil tanned and slick horsehide also from TM). It’s in a class of its own, but I would not bet my own money that it is a shell
 
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Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I own it and it is indeed a tremendous strop! It comes from Jarrod very waxy, and the smell is fantastic. After a break in period the draw decreases a little, but it is still a heavier draw strop. It also scratches very easily, but it does not seem to affect the stropping results.

I find it very good to strop on, feedback is great, you really feel the edge being aligned.

Regarding the Shell part... Well, it is certainly very different than my Kanayama and Scruple works shell strops. At the same time, it is also very different than my other horsehide strops (Notovan from TM, scruple world oil tanned and slick horsehide also from TM). It’s in a class of its own, but I would not bet my own money that it is a shell

Thanks so much for helping me with this...

It’s in a class of its own, but I would not bet my own money that it is a shell

I would bet it's what Jarrod says it is just because I've reason to believe he's a man of integrity, knowledge, and a tendency to know what he's talking about concerning his business. However, beyond that, I wouldn't bet a penny because I don't know the first thing about leathers (horsehide, horse butt, horse shell, or any other leather).

I don't have enough strops to know much about their qualities or differences. A little, but not much. Still, this seems to be a good heavy substantial and serious piece of horse-something strop.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
Thanks so much for helping me with this...



I would bet it's what Jarrod says it is just because I've reason to believe he's a man of integrity, knowledge, and a tendency to know what he's talking about concerning his business. However, beyond that, I wouldn't bet a penny because I don't know the first thing about leathers (horsehide, horse butt, horse shell, or any other leather).

I don't have enough strops to know much about their qualities or differences. A little, but not much. Still, this seems to be a good heavy substantial and serious piece of horse-something strop.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Well said! Jarrod is a great guy, I have always enjoyed purchasing from him.

By the way, the calf hide strop from Rasoir Sabre Jarrod also sells is fantastic! Beautiful draw, so smooth leather, cool yellow color and real linen in the back. 100% recommended
 
Rasoir Sabre France Horsehide and Denim Hanging Strop: I've been using this strop for a while.

I like it as much as I'd hoped I might.

To say it's big would be an understatement. It was made in France and measures 3.4" in width. The length is 18.6″. It's thick.

View attachment 1008663


I didn't realize until just a little while ago that the strop is horse shell hide. I'd thought it was horsehide, and not shell.

I learned from this post how to tell the difference between cow, horsehide, and shell. I've not looked at my leathers yet with the loupe but will soon enough.

Cool, right? I've not tried looking with the loupes yet, but I believe I see in the top photo the patterns I've read about indicative of horse (and shell).

View attachment 1008662

Part of the reason I'm posting this is because I enjoyed reading Jarrod's description of this item. Mine came from the BST; when I bought it, the item was out of stock at Jarrod's place, but it's available now.

View attachment 1008661

I'm not anywhere near as familiar with a variety of strops as Jarrod, but I find the strop performs very nicely for me. His description lines up with my impression of the strop, but I do not experience the draw as objectionable in any sense.

View attachment 1008678

Jarrod also says this...



...but, again, I find the draw perfectly okay. Not fast, certainly.

I'm not saying anyone other than me would like this strop, but I find there is a lot to like about it.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I have just read Jarrod’s description. It is much different than what he had written at the time of my purchase (around June 2018). At that time, he did not mention anything about it being a shell hide.

I have just controlled the strop with a loupe and, even though I am no leather expert, I would not disagree that the patterns in the front and in the back of the strop are very related. Also, despite its thickness, it is very pliable (as is my shell cordovan).

Therefore, you and Jarrod might have a point here, this leather could be indeed a shell. I know from Jarrod’s 2018 description that the leather is purchased from an Italian tannery, might be the Italian way of dealing with this type of hides.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Well said! Jarrod is a great guy, I have always enjoyed purchasing from him.

By the way, the calf hide strop from Rasoir Sabre Jarrod also sells is fantastic! Beautiful draw, so smooth leather, cool yellow color and real linen in the back. 100% recommended

I'd wondered about it and was just reading about it again. Timely.

I'd be hard pressed to buy another cow strop, but if this one is calf...Stop - calf, cow, kangaroo - how many strops could I possibly need?

Don't answer that question.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I have just read Jarrod’s description. It is much different than what he had written at the time of my purchase (around June 2018). At that time, he did not mention anything about it being a shell hide.

I have just controlled the strop with a loupe and, even though I am no leather expert, I would not disagree that the patterns in the front and in the back of the strop are very related. Also, despite its thickness, it is very pliable (as is my shell cordovan).

Therefore, you and Jarrod might have a point here, this leather could be indeed a shell. I know from Jarrod’s 2018 description that the leather is purchased from an Italian tannery, might be the Italian way of dealing with this type of hides.

Close to Italy, but Spain I think (see below).

Yes, part of my reason for making this thread was because I'd read what seemed like new information about this strop on the Superior Shave site. It's the sort of new information which makes me believe I'm not missing out by buying an expensive strop.

I've had this strop for a few months, but have been reading about it on Jarrod's place for a year or so. I enjoy how he updates and changes things. His material is interesting.

Speaking of which, I have now received a response from Jarrod. I'd asked him earlier about this.

This was my question to Jarrod.

I read the following about how to determine visually which leather in strops is which.

If you have a loupe look at the leather (working side) if you can see a pore structure (pockmarks - small craters) it is cow.
If it looks like a kaleidoscope (without the colors) it is horse. If it is the same on the backside- it is shell - generally.

When I look at my Rasoir Sabre France Horsehide and Denim Hanging Strop I see the kaleidoscope (sorta) pattern on the working side of the strop but not on the other side.

To me, this means the strop's leather falls into the exception the word generally implies here - "If it is the same on the backside- it is shell - generally" - but I'd like to know more. I accept that it's shell because you say it is, but why does it not look on its backside like the post says it should?

I'm not saying the post is wrong because the writer qualifies his statement. I'm asking what you would look for to be sure a strop is shell and not simply horsehide?

I'll ask the writer of the post the same question, but, hey, you're the expert!

Shell or horsehide, it's an excellent strop!

Here's Jarrod's answer to me.

I'm not an expert on hides/tanning, the owner of RS told me they are shell hides from Spain, tanned there, and he just cuts and assembles in Fr. The shell part is always 2mm or less unless these Spanish horses are magical horses, so I don't know what the extra 1.5mm is, but I presume like dermis to epidermis; in other words the strop (which I agree, it is my working strop now, exceptional function u only get that from the horse hides) would be better if planer bladed 1.5-2mm, maybe that cost more, I've no clue. Could be those thicker/shorter/slower horses have a hide a bit more cumbersome to remove from that below. The owner was emphatic they're shells from Spain, tanned in an old method germane to that region where they're wealthy to the SE, and he speaks pretty solid English so I know he knows what we were speaking of, and how the hide comes from the central hindquarters zone where the muscles are particularly twitch-enabled on a horse.
You can tell the stropping plane is shell from how it reaffixes itself vs microtears, in my experience the only other hide I've had do that is the Horween cordovans, and that includes some now deceased American horsebutt pcs. Scratches nearly self-seal.

Fair enough I think.

It would be interesting to know more. It would also be interesting to have a few other strops to compare, but I'm not in need of better stropping surfaces, merely curious about the subject. I really like this strop. Were it not hanging on my wall I'd be fine with my other full sized strop.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
Close to Italy, but Spain I think (see below).

Yes, part of my reason for making this thread was because I'd read what seemed like new information about this strop on the Superior Shave site. It's the sort of new information which makes me believe I'm not missing out by buying an expensive strop.

I've had this strop for a few months, but have been reading about it on Jarrod's place for a year or so. I enjoy how he updates and changes things. His material is interesting.

Speaking of which, I have now received a response from Jarrod. I'd asked him earlier about this.

This was my question to Jarrod.



Here's Jarrod's answer to me.



Fair enough I think.

It would be interesting to know more. It would also be interesting to have a few other strops to compare, but I'm not in need of better stropping surfaces, merely curious about the subject. I really like this strop. Were it not hanging on my wall I'd be fine with my other full sized strop.

Happy shaves,

Jim

The Kanayama is also thicker than 2mm, so I wouldn’t be concern about that.

I have just used the Strop this morning; what a great feedback! Very responsive and you hear only the edge being aligned. The denim side looks cool, but I am not sure if it is useful.

I am glad I bought it. At the time it was around $25 less than what Jarrod is asking for now.
 
I've never bought anything from Jarrod's site, mostly because of the higher shipping costs for us in the old continent. But I've read probably 80% of all his product descriptions and watched all his channel's videos. Beats most shaving blogs/channels out there for opinions/rants/humor/know-how.

Congrats on that nice strop, Jim! :a50: Looks like a classic, a good workhorse. May it serve you well.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
The Kanayama is also thicker than 2mm, so I wouldn’t be concern about that.

I have just used the Strop this morning; what a great feedback! Very responsive and you hear only the edge being aligned. The denim side looks cool, but I am not sure if it is useful.

I am glad I bought it. At the time it was around $25 less than what Jarrod is asking for now.

I use the denim side most every time I strop.

Is it useful? I don't know how to address that. Does it hurt my edges? I'm pretty sure it doesn't.

My usual stropping procedure is this.
  • I begin stropping on my Tony Miller linen strop. Usually I do maybe five or eight round trips. More if I'm coming off the hones.
  • Next I do about twenty five round trips on the horse.
  • This is followed by maybe five round trips on the denim. Sometimes more.
  • Finally I finish with about twenty five or more round trips on the horse.
I strop after each shave. Dry the razor with toilet paper (avoiding the edge of the edge). Strop it to remove whatever's left including any moisture. Put it away in one of my Sack-Ups 7 Razor Cordura Anti Rust Roll Ups (form Jarrod). I have in transit Jarrod's Silicone Treated Anti-Rust Razor Sleeves and will try these soon, but the Roll Up device is great.

I think that the denim side is meant to be used in the way most gentlemen use linen or cotton. I'm not sure if anyone knows exactly what the steps of stropping do, but I believe one thing is to dry the razor's edge. Whether I do my stropping in the right way or in the right order I have no idea. As long as it seems to work I'm good with it.

I became convinced a few months ago that it makes sense to strop before every shave and after every shave. All my razors are stropped after being honed, after being used for a shave, and before being used for a shave.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I have just read Jarrod’s description. It is much different than what he had written at the time of my purchase (around June 2018). At that time, he did not mention anything about it being a shell hide.

I have just controlled the strop with a loupe and, even though I am no leather expert, I would not disagree that the patterns in the front and in the back of the strop are very related. Also, despite its thickness, it is very pliable (as is my shell cordovan).

Therefore, you and Jarrod might have a point here, this leather could be indeed a shell. I know from Jarrod’s 2018 description that the leather is purchased from an Italian tannery, might be the Italian way of dealing with this type of hides.
I have noticed on some of Maestro Levis strops this beautiful yellow leather I bet it is from the same Italian tannery
 
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