Can anyone recommend a strop?

I would like to get one from Amazon. If you could provide a link I would appreciate it, if you can include a link to a good paste I would appreciate it too. I have this one Amazon.com: Fromm Razor Strop 2 1/2" X 23": Health & Personal Care

Its got two strops. One is smooth leather and the one underneath is a kind of abrasive fabric that actually feels like plastic and is white, no green. Is this the part I put the paste on? It is also not wide enough for my razor so I will have to use the x stroke to strop it which I don't know if I am comfortable with seeing as I am new. Any advice will be appreciated

I see you got yourself a cowhide strop. It is alrety a nice strop to start with. The smooth side it the top layer usually this is used last before you use the razor. However since it is cowhide you need to treat it with mink oil, strop dressing, or neatsfoot oil. Underneath the smooth side is the swede. I like stropping my razor on the swede material before going to smooth leather. The fabric I think is canvas which helps clean and prep the blade for the leather. Personally depending what I am using paste of powder will greatly depend on what surface I will apply it too. If it is a paste I would put it on the leather side and slowly work it in. If it Dry chromium oxide I like to put it on one side of the canvas since it holds it well. All in all I would say get more than one strop since one can be your paste strop and other a finishing.

Matt

Anyone have a link to a stropping section of this forum?

There's a whole stropping section to the forum here:

Strops

Also, check out the recent "Stroptober" thread. Lots of good stuff there:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...st-2012-a.html

ccase,
Use the "Library" section above, it will show you a lot. Also , use the "Advance" search button , above right. Enter key words, such as 3 inch strops , quality strops, bast material for strops,,,etc... this will give you the threads where strops are discussed.
I can't 100% answer your question above, I don't use pastes.
take the journey through the forum, great info & videos on your questions.

i wouldn't put _any_ paste on my regular daily strop. You'll want both the fabric and leather _clean_. Strop on the cloth first, then on the smooth side of the leather strop.

Get a separate strop for paste -- either:

. . . a piece of balsa wood, with a rigid backing, or;

. . . a length of seat-belt webbing, or heavy canvas.

You want to use the pasted strop _only_ when your edge doesn't get sharp enough with the unpasted cloth/leather stop.

. Charles

PS -- this is covered very well in some of the Wki's about stropping.