Thread: Dovo Renaissance is tearing up my strop.

I have a Renaissance too, but it doesn't give me problems while stropping. Maybe it did when I bought it 2 years and a half ago, but it was my first STR8 so I don't remember it...
Probably the etching is not regular, but I think that stropping on a green pasted strop should smooth the etching enough to make it ok for the natural leather.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I think you are referring to the spine engraving if it has any. I thought the Renaissance was etched however.
I have just honed a Dovo Bismarck that does the same but they have gold wash on the spine so the engraving cuts cannot be sanded smooth without removing the gold. You could try smoothing the back of the spine on some scrap leather with some CrO on it .

Exactly. That's precisely how my Bismarck acts on my strop, even using zero pressure. As others have suggested, I compensate by taping the spine with clear Scotch tape and that does the trick. The funny thing is that I've talked to other Bismarck owners who claim to have no problems whatsoever, so perhaps some engraved/cut spines are coarser than others.

Originally Posted by MinATX

I've got over 20 razors, and this is the only one that scrapes the leather. It's a very mild abrasion, not a deep scratch, but do it 100 times and it starts to take its toll. It's only on the very back of the blade (center of the spine), on the etching in the center of the spine, not on the surface that would meet a hone. It doesn't scrape as I strop, but when I roll the blade over to change direction, even if I do it carefully. Stropping is very smooth and neat. It's just the center of the spine that causes the problem.

I'll try a few passes on a barber hone and see if that helps.

Scotch tape...?

You don't have to roll your Renaissance on the strop. Seriously. Just lift the razor up at the end of each stroke, flip it "in the air" and carefully replace it on the strop for for the next stroke.