New strop

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by Suhrim21, May 2, 2020.

  1. Suhrim21

    Suhrim21 Well-Known Member

    Sorry i haven't been posting lately. Been in a flair up with my medical issues. Haven't been too active on any forum. I really f*****g hate these med issues. Been dealing with this s**t since 2000 when I was 18. I wish i could just be normal for once.

    I received a new strop today. I was so excited to see it for sale. The strop is from Bakersfield Barber Supply in Bakersfield CA. It is a vintage strop and the company is no longer around. My whole family was born and raised in Bakersfield, and I still live in bako. The strop is in great shape and I haven't even cleaned the leather. It's a russian shell. The stop is back home. Now I need to get my hands on a razor from Bakersfield Barber Supply.

    20200502_195700_compress7.jpg 20200502_195705_compress2.jpg 20200502_195709_compress84.jpg
     
    SilverSwarfer, RezDog, Jim99 and 4 others like this.
  2. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    Very nice find, hope you are feeling better.
     
  3. Suhrim21

    Suhrim21 Well-Known Member

    Thank you. So do I. Every f*****g time I eat i get severe cramps and in and out of the restroom. I generally get 2-3 hours total of sleep a night. Trying to work is a nightmare. Every day my lunch hour is spent taking a nap in my car just so I have the energy to stay awake for the rest of my shift. It's so bad that right now I typically only eat once a day.
     
    Keithmax and Edison Carter like this.
  4. Timwcic

    Timwcic Well-Known Member

    Nice and the home town connection is a big plus. Hope you health comes up aces
     
    Keithmax likes this.
  5. Suhrim21

    Suhrim21 Well-Known Member

    Thank you. I need to find something that will help. Currently I am on 4 meds for my med problem and they are not working right now. On top of that being high risk and having an autoimmune disease i am scared every morning on my way to work.
     
    Keithmax likes this.
  6. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    You already know this but be very careful out there.
     
  7. Robert1955

    Robert1955 Well-Known Member

    Do you have pancreatitis ?
     
  8. Suhrim21

    Suhrim21 Well-Known Member

    Thank you. I am doing my best to stay safe. I'm not happy California is about to lift restrictions. I think cases are going to jump out of control once they lift the restrictions. Having an autoimmune disease if I catch this my body wont be able to fight it off.


    I do not have pancreatitis. I have Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Chronic Diarrhea. The IBSD is worse for me since to help the UC all of my large intestine was removed. I was cut down the center of my stomach from an inch below where the ribs come together all the way down to about 2 inches below the waist line. I've actually been cut open like this a total of 3 times. But why it is worse for me is the large intestine is what removes the liquid content of your stool. So I have chronic diarrhea and no large intestine to help remove liquid and take longer for it to run through me. Right now I have 3 prescription anti diarrhea meds and they still do not help a lot of times. I also get severe abdominal cramps constantly as well. I was diagnosed in 2000 when I was 18. This disease has taken so much of my life in the form of not being able to leave my house because I'm in and out of the restroom. I am doing everything I can to not let it take any more of my life. Being in a flair up I currently eat maybe once a day. If I know I have to say drive to spend time with my fiance I will not eat for 2 days prior. This disease is humiliating and degrading to me. I cant stand it. Really the only relief I get is spending time with my fiance, which we are trying to fix a few issues, so i dont get to see her very often. The only other relief i get is wet shaving and restoring and honing razors. Just it is very discouraging that I'm not able to get great edges with my Naniwa 12k. The jnat i have i cant get anything better than i get with the Naniwa. I really want to find something around a 15k that is not expensive and am not having luck. I want a natural stone but I'm starting to think I'm going to have to go with film which i do not want.

    Ok now that i am just rambling on i will shut the hell up. Sorry for the long response.
     
    Edison Carter likes this.
  9. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    Talk all you want here, this is a good place to talk and let it out. It took me a while to get good with my stones, JT I gave up in naturals and use synthetics. Very happy with my edges most of the time. Keep at it and you will get better at honing.
     
  10. Suhrim21

    Suhrim21 Well-Known Member

    Thanks. What discourages me the most is I can put excellent edges on knives with no problems. But razors I cant.
     
    Keithmax likes this.
  11. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    I have the opposite problem. I can put a nice edge on a razor but struggle with my kitchen and pocket knives.
     
  12. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    Very sorry to hear of the health struggle you have.

    Prayers for your strength brother.
     
  13. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    I could never freehand knives. I figure it is almost an art.

    The Edgepro Apex I use is nice. Holds angles well across the grits. I never sharpen past 1k, but do use a CrOx' leather bench strop. I tried to use the finer grits stones I used on razors and messed up the edge.

    My brother bought one of the dirt cheap Edgepro knock-offs and found it poor. He eventually got a Worksharp Ken Onion knife sharpener. He says once he figured how to guage angles with a sharpie his results were good. Says he passes all my tests now.... All knives shred newspaper, slice bread, slice tomatoes.
     
    Keithmax likes this.
  14. SilverSwarfer

    SilverSwarfer Well-Known Member

    Honing and sharpening puts me in a relaxed and peaceful place. It’s a focused and rewarding endeavor in which I can lose myself. Having suffered a few relatively devastating health and economic setbacks recently and presently, I find myself often putting steel to stone. Losing myself in the practice has done wonders for my mind, spirit, soul, etc.

    If you like working on your razors and you can afford to set aside some time, set up your station and splash some water on some rocks. Spend a couple hours improving a razor and hopefully when you finish you’ll feel a little better, having spent those hours focused, and with a sharper, more comfortable tool you can enjoy.

    Practice brings perfection and perfection brings that sense of accomplishment that can improve a segment of your day. In time, I find I spend less time among negative thoughts, which makes circumstances a touch easier to navigate.

    Hey, by the way... nice strop!!
     
  15. Slash McCoy

    Slash McCoy Well-Known Member

    You have lapped your Naniwa? On sandpaper? It is a very capable finisher. Are you honing on a bench or in hand? Film is great but I hate to see you moving to film just because the Naniwa isn't doing it for you. It could be that the reason you aren't getting good results from the Naniwa would also prevent you from getting good results from film, which would make it a double tragedy. I would keep at it with the 12k Naniwa until it is mastered. Without a doubt, you can do it. THEN try film, master that, and compare. I don't want to write a book here, especially an off topic one, so watch your PM inbox.
     
    Keithmax and Edison Carter like this.
  16. Robert1955

    Robert1955 Well-Known Member


    Have a look at a " REETEC" 15K On Amazon, I have one and rate it very highly, after my 12k shapton this stone further improves the edge/polish and at £31 it wont break the bank.
     
    Edison Carter likes this.
  17. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Not listed, in the States
     
  18. Robert1955

    Robert1955 Well-Known Member

  19. Robert1955

    Robert1955 Well-Known Member

  20. SilverSwarfer

    SilverSwarfer Well-Known Member

    FA8E14BF-0525-467D-BF10-B4D8665282E3.jpeg
    Some new acquisitions I’ve received over the past few weeks. All very different. Now that I’ve used them for a while I really can’t imagine shaving without them. Considering the selection of razor, condition of whiskers, and condition of the edge to decide which strop(s) to equip is a satisfying and enjoyable aspect of my SOD. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to acquire these fine pieces of craftsmanship.

    Pictured above are:
    Fine Stars 18,000 “Extensor Shell” Cordovan
    “Fire Horse”
    EMCO Certifyd 323 “Diamond Cut Russia Back”

    Particularly notable for these 3 strops are the canvas components. I understand The Fine Stars is made by Naomi-San of Kanayama fame. It sports the same canvas component of Kanayama strops I love so much. The EMMCO has a very aggressive heavy-textured canvas I like to use for my 1/2-1/4-near wedge blades. The Fire Horse has a piece of old decommissioned fire hose that’s simply amazing for any SR grind.

    Of course the eather components are equally indispensable. Fine Stars is super glassy and searingly fast; perfect final finisher for light hollow grinds. Fire Horse is velvety and even faster (!), sporting a very unique suede-like finish that’s just soft like velvet. The strop itself is still getting better with subsequent use; it’s a daily gift to witness the evolution. My lightest most delicate razors feel equally at home on this strop as my heaviest old W&B 7/8 wedge. Finally, the EMMCO seems likely a cowhide with a deep-cut back that’s very flexible. It’s considerably slower, with a more “magnetic” feel. It’s NOS of unknown vintage and I had to lightly recondition the leather to avoid cracking. Like the FH, it’s continually evolving with use.

    7EF79BBC-A984-4DD7-BE1C-A35F53C54427.jpeg

    Pictured above are my high-mileage strops. An awesome vintage DublDuck “Imperial Russia,” Tony Miller “Roughout,” and Kanayama 70k. The DublDuck has my favorite canvas component, a (different) length of old fire hose that has horizontal texturing that’s fast, effective, and gives the best feedback of all. Feels great... not too aggressive like the EMMCO but far from subtle. I opted for the flax linen component on the TM, and I don’t regret that decision in the least. Overall this might be my favorite non-leather medium: it’s really fast and really comfortable and really effective. As for the leather components, the DublDuck is similar to the EMMCO but a touch more “magnetic” and yet seems more efficient. This is my favorite for finishing heavier 1/4 grind and wedge razors. The “Roughout” is the most versatile strop overall. The backside of the heavy draw leather component is finished out- smooth and quick- this strop handles everything. Finally the Kanayama is my original razor strop. It’s a classic that’s earned its reputation from delivering luxurious stropping experience and perfect performance.

    I can’t decide if I enjoy honing better than stropping. Fortunately, they’re both essential and very different, yet both deliver satisfying rewards to the same end.
     
    Edison Carter and DaltonGang like this.

Share This Page