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kanayama strop.....the next

Jim,

You have my email. If you ever feel the need to send a package to Texas, for whatever reason, let me know :lol:
 
Update: after receiving Jim's e-mail, we talked a bit about the issue of the linen. I decided to buy an 80000 series, tri-component, strop. Jim will ship one extra test strap of linen along with my order, so I can try a couple of things, without worrying too much about destruction. But it makes no sense testing one component of a system, without checking if that component renders a result that can be passed on to the next component.
I will probably focus on ways to make the linen more supple, because I believe that this whole issue is solely related to a matter of contact. The material itself in known to be very good for the task of fabric stropping. I personally don't think the actual surface pattern has much influence on the outcome, albeit it does have an influence on how the strop sounds and feels. But it's very stiff, and more pliable strops have their own ways of assuring good contact between the edge and the stropping surface.
In that respect, while I'm waiting on the parcel to arrive, I would like to request all who have suffered less than expected performance from their Kanayama linen, to try using a well pronounced X-stroke on theirs, combined with a tad more pressure, than you 'd put on a thin flexible linen. I suspect it may already give a noticeable difference in outcome. Both parameters are known to deal with contact issues.

I am personally convinced that both our own Jim, and Yoshimasa Naomi, the owner of the Kanoyama Cordovan Strop company and maker of these strops, have only one real concern and devotion. That is to offer the world a strop, build to the highest possible standards. This concern is backed by a long tradition of generations that shared the same dedication. This small community of shaving aficionado's with specific expectations about stropping, has their attention.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Bart said:
Update: after receiving Jim's e-mail, we talked a bit about the issue of the linen. I decided to buy an 80000 series, tri-component, strop. Jim will ship one extra test strap of linen along with my order, so I can try a couple of things, without worrying too much about destruction.

Wow, this should be interesting! B)

My first strop from about three years ago was a Tony Miller latigo that came with the "rough cotton" fabric strop. It was somewhat stiff and sounded like a washboard in use. The sound alone was enough to scare me away from using it much. Tony later switched to a "smooth cotton" version.
 
I have the low end Kanayama strop and find it to be absolutely luxurious. I have never had a problem using the linen side, although it does feel different than anything else I have used, it still produces a very nice edge. This is the strop I have been using for the past year and I am only on my second razor during that time. I have not had to hone one of my razors for nearly a year now, and that I have to attribute not only to the steel, but to the strop as well. Sure - these strops are pricey - but it will be the last one you will ever buy.

Ray
 
i have to say its my favourite , and as you no i have the 80k trio. once worn in even nicer. looking forward to seeing how you find the linen.
me and ralfy compared the linen and we found the tm linen made a big differance in hht results.

we took freshly honed coticule edge ,stropped kanayama linen and saw no response. ralfy then stropped same razor on tm linen and we both saw a big response. wheather the shaves would of been any differant i carn't say. i do intend to use my k linen some day

gary
 
I just ordered the 30k too with blue logo! Can't wait to open that box on christmas day :p
I'll keep you guys posted!

SHAVE ON!
 
jfdupuis said:
I just ordered the 30k too with blue logo! Can't wait to open that box on christmas day :p
I'll keep you guys posted!

SHAVE ON!

I'm considering a new strop and leaning towards a Kanayama too. I've got my eye on the 50K.
10% off all strops starting today! :D
*strokes chin
 
Ray, how often do you shave with your own kit (trying to frame your reference to how well your razors are maintained). I know Lynn hardly ever has an opportunity to use his own razors; are you in a similar situation?
 
RicTic said:
jfdupuis said:
I just ordered the 30k too with blue logo! Can't wait to open that box on christmas day :p
I'll keep you guys posted!

SHAVE ON!

I'm considering a new strop and leaning towards a Kanayama too. I've got my eye on the 50K.
10% off all strops starting today! :D
*strokes chin

i have had the 50k and to be onest there is not any differnace that is noticable. if i was you i'd save the cash and get the 30k. it will be just as good . i got the 80k because that how the trio comes, i love both leathers .the delivery to me took about a week it was very quik .

gary
 
garyhaywood said:
I'm considering a new strop and leaning towards a Kanayama too. I've got my eye on the 50K.
10% off all strops starting today! :D
*strokes chin

i have had the 50k and to be onest there is not any differnace that is noticable. if i was you i'd save the cash and get the 30k. it will be just as good . i got the 80k because that how the trio comes, i love both leathers .the delivery to me took about a week it was very quik .

gary[/quote]

Thanks Gary, I'll take that advice on your experience.
I've not found the help you've given me anything but accurate. :thumbup:

Thanks again,

David.
 
i've ordered the kanayama 3000, it is a very beautiful strop, the linen is very stiff, how i can use the linen component?

more pressure? without pressure? how many stroke, i don't want to destroy the keenness!
 
I think Bart will probably chime in here, since he received a linen component from JimR and has tested it. I think he suggested using more pressure, but I agree, it is a leap of faith, especially if you just finished 30 minutes on the edge. YP, Denny
 
Hi, I might as well say something, though Bart probably has better information.

I haven't done anything to my Kanayama linen yet, but I have experimented with a known-to-be flax linen strop: a acid bath clearly works to soften linen. One stiff linen strop, wash with soap, one hour in 6% vinegar, baking soda after wash, hang dry.
Now there are certainly several variables here, but the degree of suppleness cannot be explained by a wash alone and the baking soda cannot be expected to do anything to the fibers.

This was a similar course weave as the Kanayama. Edge improvement was clearly better than the un-bathed strop material. But it did not entirely correct for the coarseness of the weave, still bumpy and not as good edge improvement as a finer weave material.

I am suspecting that fabric softener could do the same thing, but I don't have time to try it out. I also do not know for certain if the Kanayama linen is flax, cotton or something else. I suspect cotton, for good reasons, but the acid should also work as well, if not better on cotton.

regards,
Torolf

PS: Softening a Kanayama linen may stretch out the bolt hole, but the hanger holds the strop so tight that not much pressure is actually on the hole. An acid bath will effect the leather end of the linen, but not too much. It may darken, especially after the baking soda, don't skip the baking soda, it neutralizes the acid (a couple tablespoons to a liter should do it). I don't think the glue would be effected, if so use contact cement, and the leather will will need your favorite conditioner afterwards, while it is still slightly damp.
 
TM280 said:
Hi, I might as well say something, though Bart probably has better information.

I haven't done anything to my Kanayama linen yet, but I have experimented with a known-to-be flax linen strop: a acid bath clearly works to soften linen. One stiff linen strop, wash with soap, one hour in 6% vinegar, baking soda after wash, hang dry.
Now there are certainly several variables here, but the degree of suppleness cannot be explained by a wash alone and the baking soda cannot be expected to do anything to the fibers.

This was a similar course weave as the Kanayama. Edge improvement was clearly better than the un-bathed strop material. But it did not entirely correct for the coarseness of the weave, still bumpy and not as good edge improvement as a finer weave material.

I am suspecting that fabric softener could do the same thing, but I don't have time to try it out. I also do not know for certain if the Kanayama linen is flax, cotton or something else. I suspect cotton, for good reasons, but the acid should also work as well, if not better on cotton.

regards,
Torolf
It sounds like you leave the baking soda on the strop after washing. Is that correct? I have two Katayama linen components and don't use them as they come from the maker. It would be worth it to me to try to soften or improve them, if I can't find a technique that works as they are. I don't want to raise a dead elephant with this thread, but I love the leather, hate the linen. Thanks, T, Denny
 
Sorry, my mistake, no. Wash it out also. But the amount one can wash out of these weaves is questionable, they are just too stiff and thick. This is the one of the purposes of the initial wash with soap, to open the fibers to accept the acid uniformly.
A salt bath may well work instead of acid, but again, I haven't tried this on strops...can't hurt in any case...Just hate all the drying time...

A stronger acid (15-25%) would probably have a greater effect. If you've got two, Denny, just start washing one. Mechanical manipulation (rubbing the damn thing back and forth on a counter edge) while damp flattens the surface of the weave. I find this to be beneficial.

regards,
Torolf
 
I haven't received Jim's parcel yet, so I can't offer anything further at this point. I know Urmas tried a couple of things that changed his linen to a point where he liked it more. But I'll leave it to him to share his ideas.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
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