Thread: Strop and paste question

I recently just got into using a straight razor. One of the items I understood needing was a strop. The sales person at AoS said I needed strop paste, which I see is recommended using. However, everytime I've used it it has left a black film on my strop. At first I thought it was something on the razor that caused it, but I've made sure the blade is clean, and it still keeps happening. The people at AoS said I can clean it off with a rag and warm water. Has anyone had this issue?

All that is ever needed on a new strop for daily upkeep is the rubbing of your palm over the leather. The natural oils in your skin will keep the leather supple. Strop dressings and oils are best reserved for rejuvenating old and vintage strops that have been neglected for a great number of years. If you look up strop maintenance on the forum you will get a great many threads dealing with the subject with as many views as there are pebbles on the beach. I know what works for me, I know what works for others. You have to read, digest and decide for yourself the best path of attack at maintaining your equipment.

The next time it happens can you take a picture of the razor and strop. Post the picture on the forum. This will make it easier for the forum members to offer their advice.

I get that, but doesn't the butting agent in the paste help maintain a sharp edge?

Originally Posted by Brder4Life

butting agent

help me out here...what are we talking about?

Cutting agent not butting agent. Not sure how that got auto-corrected.

Originally Posted by Brder4Life

Cutting agent not butting agent. Not sure how that got auto-corrected.

sorry, couldn't figure it out. There is a considerable discussion in another thread about pastes and sprays, but the short answer is MOST of us use them rarely to improve or smooth an edge that has lost a little of its sharpness or feel, not on a daily strop. We keep another surface (back of the leather or back of the fabric, for them.

Black could be metal particles of your razor is the paste is abrasive one. Or the color of the paste spreaded on your strop
If strop is now abrasive you should have another without anything in order to just realign the blade and final smothering the edge

Are you using this as your daily strop. If so then the black will definitely be from the cutting action of the pastes removing metal from the razor. Now that you have pasted this one it is no longer good for daily stropping and you will need to get a new one for daily stropping that has had no treatment. Pasted strops are used sparingly when a razors edge strarts to drop off just to touch it up by doing 5 to 10 laps on the pasted strop.

I've been reviewing the info I other sections and have come to realize that now. Why does Art of Shaving tell people it can be used on their daily strop? The guy at their shop made a point of telling me I needed this for my strop.

Also, what can happen to the blade from using it on a pasted strop daily?