Thread: Pasted strop: too rough?

.5 micron chromium oxide came prepasted on the back of my leather strop. I only strop on it occasionally, for about 20 round trips, to freshen the edge of my razor. The past couple of times I've done it, my razor has seemed rougher when I shave and has ripped up my face pretty good. After str8 shaving for nearly 3 months, I feel pretty confident that it's not my stropping technique that's too blame. I strop with a very light touch and am careful to not roll the edge. Also, I don't think it's my shaving technique, as I've been getting very comfortable, close shaves lately.

Anyway, I'm wondering whether the surface that the paste is on is too rough and uneven and is actually dulling the blade. Check out the photos here and let me know what you think. As you can see, quite a few nubs have been raised on it. It still feels fairly soft and suede-like, but is uneven.

Also, from some threads I've seen here by JoshEarl, it seems that there may be too much paste on the strop.

Any input you have would be greatly appreciated.

Going soley on what I have read on the forums because I don't use a pasted strop. That is looking like far too much paste, enough for a few dozen strops. The back of that strop also looks far too rough to use. Personally I think you be doing more harm than good to your razor using that.

Just my 0.02, we'll have to wait see what the experienced, paste users think.

I think you're shave experience supports your suspicions. Have a look at your edge under a microscope to confirm.
I would make a pasted paddle or hanger & use the smooth side of the hide. No offence but that strop looks like 9 miles of bad road.

To me your strop looks way too rough. The CrO2 looks heavy too. And what I find with the nap that heavy it tends to dull the edge. There is a possibility you can fix your strop by using a pumice stone to remove the heavy nap creating and leaving a finer nap. It will be a little messy because its pasted, but should work. A note when you do it don't press hard. Work the stone across the strop lightly till the nap becomes finer, also be sure not to work a spot to long you will leave the strops thickness uneven.

Good luck

If I am not totally wrong, that is a Kenrup strop isn't it?
The strop looks just like mine, and I have the same green stuff on the backside of mine

Unlike you, I have good experiences using the backside every couple of shaves. As soon as I feel the blade not being as sharp as it previously was ,I do a couple of laps (around 5) on the backside before my next shave. Every time I have done it the razor has been better the next time.

By the way, you do strop on the leather side (after you have cleaned your razor) before you shave after having used the pasted side?

Arlendius

I had a similar problem, and on the great advice of another forum member, skipped the paste altogether to see if it made a difference. Now after honing on the 8K Norton, I just strop and shave. I think that the rough side of the strop plus the paste, and my inexperience was causing the dulling of the edge. I'll probably give pasted strops another go, but at the moment im quite happy.
Stu

i use chr02 but i think your problem is strop.use paddle strop +better leather side not the back side.on my paddle it has alot more chro2 then yours but blade just slides very smooth on the surface

People ask me all the time about pasting the back of my Apprentice strops. My answer is yes and no. Yes it can be done but the texture of the back of a piece of leather can vary widely. I'm sure Ken concentrates on giving you the best front side he can just as I do and the back is secondary. Sometimes it can be used, sometines it is just too rough. I'd worry more about the long, soft fibers rounding an edge more than creating a ragged edge.

If I had to offer a basic strop that must be good on both sides it would need to cost a good deal more as I would either need to discard many to find one good on both sides or would need to sand and buff the back adding time and labor.

I'm still not a fan of pasting the back of a flexible strop anyway for beginners. Most have problems keeping a razor flat to the strop and with tension and a soft. flexible pasted surface is more likely to round an edge than a more rigid paddle.

The same goes for what leather is on a paddle. The harder the surface of the leather the less likely you will have rounding. A smooth, reasonably firm surface and light pressure should be fine. heavy pressure, soft temper leather, sueded or rough side leathers are all more likely to create rounding as well.


Tony

Thanks, guys, for all the input. I think I'll skip stropping on the paste until I can get a smoother strop to paste up.

Arlendius: yes and yes. I strop on the bare leather side before every shave, 60 laps, and in between passes, 20 laps. The bare leather side seems to work great; it's very smooth, but with a bit of draw. I have only done the pasted side after every five shaves or so.

Do you all think my razor will need to be honed due to the damage done by the paste, or will a bunch of laps on the bare leather fix it up? The razor still seems pretty sharp, easily cutting hairs on the HHT; however, at the same time, it feels ragged on my face. I didn't know a razor could be sharp and ragged at the same time.

Let me know what you think.

Payne

To be honest, I think 20 strokes on pasted .5 CrO might be TOO many strokes - in other words, you're creating a wire edge that you are then removing with your face. That's just my opinion, and I could of course be wrong.

Why not try only five or so strokes?