A Thousand and One words...

The strop is here...some pictures and words for you...


Here are the Kanayama Bothers--on the left is my older strop, the "Fine Stars". It's been a fine strop, and I've had no complaints. It's a little smooth for me, I think I'd like some more draw...

On the right, of course, is the new "Llama Brand" model 30000 strop. It's much longer, with much more effective leather space, and the leather is more even and lighter than the Fine Stars. There's more draw, and the lack of a handle is no real limpediment to use.



A close-up of the stamp at the bottom, showing the Kanayama logo. You can also get an idea of the leather's texture--it's smooth, but but not quite glossy, like the older strop was when I got it.



Here are the two stamps at the bottom, the Kanayama logo and the 30000 stamp. I have no idea if the 30000 has any meaning other than denoting the top of the Kanayama line of strops--whether it's just an internal numbering system or it refers to a certain quality of the strop itself...if anyone knows, please fill me in.


Here is the hanging tackle, a decent quality swivel and hook, with a nice clasp held with a screw, in case you need to change it around at all. There are some little details that stand out to me about this pat of the strop.

One, the leather and the linen are trimmed at exactly the same angles on the upper corner, even though the leather is wider than the linen it is still perfectly matched. The linen is also EXACTLY centered with the leather, despite that difference in widths. This attention to minor detail is something that speaks volumes about Kanoyama-san's workmanship, I think...



Here's the hand end of the Linen. That's a leather tab glued over the end. Again---perfectly centered and even, and the tab is glued out to the very edge, but there is NO glue visible. Small things, yes, that do not effect the use of the strop, but the small things are where quality lives. Anyone can cut a piece of smooth leather and make a strop. It takes someone who CARES to make a strop where every tiny, insignificant detail is right.

Now, I have stropped a couple of razors on it, and while I can't say a lot about this strop in relation to others, I can say that the leather feels good on the razors, with decent draw even with full hollows, but not sticky. The leather is supple but not easily "cupped", and it is LONG. A very good stropping stroke on this one. I am well pleased so far!

The linen is the same as the Fine Stars, a very very stiff brown fabric with a coarse grain--it seems to work well, but I've never used another linen so I can't compare, really.

I'm very, very glad I have the chance to see this stop, and use it for the rest of my life.