The Imperial Shave "Pegasus" Strops

[ryancathers]

Hi there
I am relatively new to B&B but have been a straight razor for a couple of years now. I have recently purchased and am awaiting a few beautiful new razors including a pre 1890 William Greaves and Sons 5/8ths wedge, and a A Feist & co Lunawerk which is a full hollow 6/8ths

I am currently using a dovo Diamante 5/8ths full hollow and a strop from Straight Razor Designs, the 3" black latigo with the webbing secondary strop.

The SRD was my first strop and as a result is a little cut up.

I am looking into purchasing a really nice strop and have been looking at the Bison Made shell Cordovan and the Imperial Shave's Pegasus strops.

I am very interested in this cordovan leather and love the look of the pegasus.

Does anyone here have any comments to make on the Pegasus strop with the cordovan? Also would people be inclined to recomend the cordovan and horsehide strop or the cordovan and linen strop?

Thank you for anyones help, i know this is a personal questionwith a lot of YMMV!

ryancathers

Also to utilize my current strop, even though there are some nicks in it, could i put some CrOx on it?

 

[FaPat5]

I am relatively new to B&B but have been a straight razor for a couple of years now.

Hmm I have never met a talking razor before.....

 

[ryancathers]

Obviously you don't get around much!

 

[Raithskar]

Obviously you don't get around much!

You left yourself open for that Ryan. It is all in fun.

As for the strops you mentioned I would go with the Bison Shell Cordovan without thinking twice. For one the Bison is Horse Shell. It is a more stiff leather than Latigo, and also the cream of the crop as far as horsehide goes. The Pegasus is Latigo Cordovan. The tanning method is the same, but they are two totally different leathers.

In my personal experience Horsehide brings out an edge much better than Cowhide. Hope this helps.

 

[ryancathers]

Thanks for the info Jon!

 

[Raithskar]

My pleasure Ryan. Good luck with your decision!

 

[u2u]

You left yourself open for that Ryan. It is all in fun.

As for the strops you mentioned I would go with the Bison Shell Cordovan without thinking twice. For one the Bison is Horse Shell. It is a more stiff leather than Latigo, and also the cream of the crop as far as horsehide goes. The Pegasus is Latigo Cordovan. The tanning method is the same, but they are two totally different leathers.

In my personal experience Horsehide brings out an edge much better than Cowhide. Hope this helps.

I stand to be corrected but the OP is looking at three possible strops but only two materials, not considering options for linen, suede etc.

The first is the Bison made with shell cordovan leather. This is a top of the line material with a price to match. Bison makes two versions. One in black shell cordovan for $250, one in a cordovan coloured shell with gold coloured hardware for $300. If you peruse the Horween site, and some posts by Nick Horween on shoe sites, you will find the black shell is probably the lowest grade, with the quality going up for hides that can be used with lighter coloured dyes. I have the black Bison and the quality is superb. I think the higher priced one would be nicer only because the patina developed with use would be more evident. Very nice fast light draw strop.

The Pegasus strops the OP is looking at are possibly the same base horsehide (I suspect not shell on either) differing only in that one is undyed, one is dyed in cordovan colour. If one where shell cordovan the price would be much higher and the adds would probably differentiate the materials by including "shell". Fairly common with shoes for people to buy cordovan coloured shoes and paying a premium not realizing their buying a colour not shell cordovan. The Pegasus look like more than a decent strop, just realize what they are compared to shell. The horsehide gives a nice fast light draw but not as nice, in my opinion, as a shell strop. Shell is great material be it for strops, shoes, leather accessories. A hefty premium but usually worth it.

If any member has both a shell strop and a Pegasus cordovan latigo it would be nice to hear if both are shell or not. The vendor sites I have looked at lack sufficient clarity thus, to date, I have bypassed the Pegasus products. Not trying to knock them, just trying to be informed.

Hope if the OP has made his purchase he is satisfied.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Just reading stuff I came across this very upscale shell strop by Imperial.

Cordovan shell. Big. Over the top in more than one way? Great strop? Anybody have one?

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[stone and strop]

Just reading stuff I came across this very upscale shell strop by Imperial.

Cordovan shell. Big. Over the top in more than one way? Great strop? Anybody have one?

Happy shaves,

Jim

Wow, 490.00 for a full 16" of stropping surface - what a bargain!
Give me a break, I especially like this line" Affixed to a fine saddle leather backing to add rigidity, shell alone is extremely delicate"
Delicate? Used for the finest shoes on earth, the kind that can be resoled many times.

Buy a Kanayama, a full 24" of sublime leather (without a backer leather) No need for this kind of quality!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wow, 490.00 for a full 16" of stropping surface - what a bargain!
Give me a break, I especially like this line" Affixed to a fine saddle leather backing to add rigidity, shell alone is extremely delicate"
Delicate? Used for the finest shoes on earth, the kind that can be resoled many times.

Buy a Kanayama, a full 24" of sublime leather (without a backer leather) No need for this kind of quality!

I'm fine with the huge shell strop I already own and not planning to buy another, but I like learning about them.

I'm not sure exactly what the Imperial guys are talking about in their measurements. They make a big point of the size of their strop being larger than the Kanayama (but, again, I'm not sure I understand what they actually mean).

Imperial makes various strops. Some are not shell, but this one is. Is it a good shell or the best shell or an inferior shell? I have no idea.

Anybody actually have one of the Imperial strops?

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[alex1921]

I was looking at his strops last week and the one point he was trying to make was Kanayama strops are 2.5" wide and his is 3" so no need for "Silly x stroke" or however he called it.
I personally prefer narrower strops.