Thread: Recommended paddle strop for dove red/black pastes?

Hello everyone!

I am relatively new to straight shaving and I've been trolling the forums here and learning as much as I can.

My razor has gotten to the point where I need to refresh it with more than just stropping. I decided to go the paste route for now, recognizing that eventually I'll need a honing stone. I've picked up Dovo's red and black pastes, and - per some suggestions on the forums - used the back of a legal pad to try them out. I'm pleased with the results, and now I need to get a strop for them.

I was wondering if there were any paddle strops that are recommended for use with pastes, or are there particular surfaces I should be looking for to use with each paste.All the paddles I've seen have a leather side, but I'm also reading (if I'm reading correctly) that you don't normally paste leather. I looked at Straight Razor Designs at the modular paddle but the paddle is listed as out of stock.

Alternatively, I'm currently stropping before each shave on both the canvas and leather of my hanging strop. Is it possible I could paste the two sides of the canvas and just use it for touch ups, then only do a pre-shave strop on the leather?

Thanks!

Hi and welcome. Keep your daily strop unpasted. Any strop can be pasted be it leather, canvas, balsa, felt etc. For paste only I'd just get a cheaper one. I think star shaving do one or you could just make one.

Id recommend the SRD modular paddle strop, that way you can get additional rough leather or wool felt pads, and apply pastes or sprays to them, and interchange as required. I know you said they are out of stock but I feel its worth the wait. Im really happy with mine. You could always go a basic balsa strop to see you through until the modular paddle strop becomes available.