It has been nearly three years now since I started developing and

            selling my strops. I have added a few dealers over the past year

            in the USA, England and Europe, so if products you want are not

            currently available from me directly at this time, they may have what

            you need in stock.

            I am proud to say we have produced nearly 2000 strops and my

            customers throughout the world have called my Artisan models the

            best strops being made today. Check the popular shaving forums and

            see glowing comments from my satisfied customers on a daily basis. I

               work hard to keep that reputation and am constantly refining my

            products to perform even better and to remain a competitive value in

            todays market, even over those that are mass produced.

            I am not a large manufacturer nor are my products made in a factory 

            to my designs. Every strop I sell is made by hand, mostly by

            me personally. I have a few Amish craftsman friends who do my

            woodworking, and occasionally help with cutting handles and end caps,

            but all major strop components, especially the main strop body, are

            hand cut by me.

            I buy complete sides of top grade Latigo tanned cowhide, and

            heavy butt section cuts of bark tanned horsehide for my hanging

            strops. Each piece is laid out and cut by hand with a knife and

            straight edge to assure only the best parts of each hide are used.

            Edges are rounded and beaded, and each piece goes through my 

            proprietary "breaking in" process, again by hand. Punched holes

            and end cuts are done with clicker dies in my shop on a hand

            operated press or by my Amish craftsmen on a similar press.

            It is this hand made process and attention to detail that sets my

            products apart from the rest but is also why we often have limited

            availability of some items. It takes time to produce items by hand

            and I work at a pace that insures the best product, not unlimited

            availabilty. I do not take orders for items not currently in stock and

            ready for delivery. Each week on my storefront I offer what items are

            available for sale and give a heads up as to what I am manufacturing

            currently and that will be ready for sale over the next few weeks.

                                   Products Available In 2008

                                     Heirloom Artisan Hanging Strops

            The Artisan models are our best Horsehide and Red Latigo strops

            made from heavy 7 to 9oz. top grain leather. These premium

            strops feature a second component from Cotton Canvas or Genuine

            Linen and even an optional Red Latigo component on my Horsehide

            models. Available in 2 1/2" and 3" widths with either attached dee

            rings or leather handles.

                                           Heirloom Original Strops

            The Originals are where we started, a simple, traditionally styled

            leather and canvas strop that has evolved with nicer hardware but

            keeping the old style straight cut bottom end favored by barbers for

            years. These are available in our same best quality Latigo and Horehide

            just like we use in our premium models.

                                        Heirloom "Appentice" Strops   

            The Apprentice is our entry level strop, but only in simplicity of design. 

            It is constructed from the same top quality Latigo and Horsehide

            leather we use on our Artisan and Original models. Thes strops are

            constructed without Canvas or Linen but use a heavier weight of leather

            to give them more body. These are also very popular for travel as their

            single component construction allows them to roll easily in order to

            pack into your luggage.       

                                          Heirloom Paddle Strops

            Our Four Sided and Wide Two Sided paddles provide an excellent tool

            for use with abrasive sharpening pastes to refresh a shave ready blade

            and for mild honing, as well as providing a tool for daily stropping for

            those desiring a rigid, compact strop. Our wooden paddle blanks are

            made for me by Amish craftsman friends and he leather is cut and

            bonded to the padles by me. I use a variety of leathers, 4oz. brushed

            latigo or 7 to 8oz. natural tanned cowhide or horsehide, depending on

            the application. Our paddles tend to be wider and longer than others,

            providing the most surface area while retaining an easily used overall

            size.

            Occasionally we produce a small Travel Box Strop, providing storage

            for a single razor in a compact, two sided strop.

            Our Heirloom Diamond Abrasive Compounds are now available in

            small 1.5gr containers to provide and economical way to paste the

            paddles we produce. Each container will provide one or two pastings

            depending on the size of the paddle.

                                           Our Heirloom Leathers

             Our Heirloom Red Latigo was our first leather offered, an oil and

            wax rich, "pre-dressed" leather that quickly caught on because of

            it's superior draw. We use the best 7 to 8oz. hides we can buy and

            still discard over 50% of each hide when cutting as not meeting our

            rigid standards. It starts out with a smooth, firm finish and light

            draw but will quickly develop with use, gaining more draw and 

            suppleness as it is used. Our Latigo tends to be of a firm temper, 

            much like the highly compressed "Russian Process" strops from the

            past. This would be our most versatile material, providing an increased

            draw over time, and the best choice for an all around strop.

            Our Heirloom Horsehide is our premium strop leather. We use

            only 8 to 9oz. Butt section horsehide and cut our strops by hand

            from the best pieces available. It's unique pore structure and

            density creates an almost magnetic feel against the razors edge,

            quickly aligning it while still having a very light draw, or feeling

            of friction. We leave our horsehide with it's natural coloration

            intact. It will range from a uniform "coffee with cream" look to

            a beautiful, varigated woodgrain like pattern. The Latigo

            end caps and handles used on the Artisan models make for

            very handsome strops. These tend to have a lighter draw and make

            an excellent finishing strop, especially when combined with a Latigo

            second component in place of linen.

            We will have a new "Getting Started" page coming up soon explaining

            how to choose a strop and the various factor that come into play with

            each leather choice of width option.  

               Please e-mail with your questions or even product suggestions as we are

            always looking to expand the line of products we manufacture.

            As always, each of our strops are made and tested in house,

            by hand, by us, and to my unyielding standards.

           Thank you,

           Anthony D. Miller, and family, Stropmakers