Thread: New Modular Paddle Wearing At Sides

Originally Posted by ELDivo

I havent tried that but it only sits flush towards the very end and beginning of pad. Im thinking its not level

Check it,stuff happens,am sure it will all get worked out.

Originally Posted by ELDivo

I bought the paddle strop from Lynn and this is my second pad. its wearing on the sides and I just got a new pad today and it will NOT sit flush on the last leather pad or this one. theres a gap in the middle as i run the blade along the pad. Even using x stroke gives minimal coverage.

I had the same problem with my SRD Modular Paddle. The leather sides were concave across their widths - the edges were curled up, and the middle was depressed/deeper. Hence the wear on the outside edges. When I discovered this, I emailed SRD and got a nice email back saying to send the Paddle Strop back in, and they would take care of it for me. Very nice and helpful. By this time though, I had figured out what the problem was (or so I think), and decided to take care of it myself.

I’ll use an example from general woodworking to illustrate what the problem is (once again, what I _suspect_ the problem is). If you take a flat-sawn board, and apply a finish (shellac, tung oil, polyurethane, etc.) to only one side of the board, and nothing on the other side, the board will ‘cup’ away from its unfinished side - the side with the finish on it will become concave across its width, just like some of our paddle strops have become. If I remember correctly, here is what happens; the unfinished side attracts and accepts moisture from the air. When it becomes wet enough, it swells up, and pushes the edges of the board away, thus causing the finished side to become concave/cupped. How does this apply to our paddle strops? Well, the kerfs cut into the paddle leave an unfinished side on the thin piece of wood that holds the leather. The other side of that thin bit of wood can be thought of as being ‘finished’, because it is covered by the magnetic backing. So… one side is bare and the other side is covered by the magnetic sheet. The bare side accepts moisture, swells up, and causes the other side, the side that has the magnetic backing upon which we place out leather, to become concave. Whew! Too long-winded ;-) At least that’s my theory.

I know that using wood is traditional, and most find it very attractive, but maybe SRD should have used something inert for their paddle? Or maybe the paddle didn’t need the kerfs cut into it? A solid wood paddle without the kerfs would have been more stable? Are the kerfs really necessary? How often will a person press down so hard, when stropping, that they really need the kerfs? I’m not sure about any of this ;-( What do you all think?

So, here’s what I did. I mounted some sandpaper on a piece of glass, and I rubbed the magnetic strips on the paper until they became flat across their width. It took some doing, because the magnetic strips, being rubber-based (I think), kept clogging the sand paper. The next thing I need to do, is to apply some sort of finish to the inside of the kerfs, so that the thin boards are no longer ‘unfinished’ on one side. That should make both top and bottom of the boards more equal, and less likely to warp/cup. At least that’s what I hope. How to get some sort of finish in those narrow kerfs is still a mystery to me. Any ideas? Please let me know.

Anyway, I hope this helped somewhat. I •very• much like my SRD Paddle Strop. When I first thought about getting one, I thought how neat it would be. Unlike a wide hanging strop, this thing will always be completely flat. Not quite so though ;-( I'm sure though, with a few little changes, it will be just fine. It’s a fine product, and I'm grateful for them having made it.

Originally Posted by bruseth

I had the same problem with my SRD Modular Paddle. The leather sides were concave across their widths - the edges were curled up, and the middle was depressed/deeper. Hence the wear on the outside edges. When I discovered this, I emailed SRD and got a nice email back saying to send the Paddle Strop back in, and they would take care of it for me. Very nice and helpful. By this time though, I had figured out what the problem was (or so I think), and decided to take care of it myself.

I’ll use an example from general woodworking to illustrate what the problem is (once again, what I _suspect_ the problem is). If you take a flat-sawn board, and apply a finish (shellac, tung oil, polyurethane, etc.) to only one side of the board, and nothing on the other side, the board will ‘cup’ away from its unfinished side - the side with the finish on it will become concave across its width, just like some of our paddle strops have become. If I remember correctly, here is what happens; the unfinished side attracts and accepts moisture from the air. When it becomes wet enough, it swells up, and pushes the edges of the board away, thus causing the finished side to become concave/cupped. How does this apply to our paddle strops? Well, the kerfs cut into the paddle leave an unfinished side on the thin piece of wood that holds the leather. The other side of that thin bit of wood can be thought of as being ‘finished’, because it is covered by the magnetic backing. So… one side is bare and the other side is covered by the magnetic sheet. The bare side accepts moisture, swells up, and causes the other side, the side that has the magnetic backing upon which we place out leather, to become concave. Whew! Too long-winded ;-) At least that’s my theory.

I know that using wood is traditional, and most find it very attractive, but maybe SRD should have used something inert for their paddle? Or maybe the paddle didn’t need the kerfs cut into it? A solid wood paddle without the kerfs would have been more stable? Are the kerfs really necessary? How often will a person press down so hard, when stropping, that they really need the kerfs? I’m not sure about any of this ;-( What do you all think?

So, here’s what I did. I mounted some sandpaper on a piece of glass, and I rubbed the magnetic strips on the paper until they became flat across their width. It took some doing, because the magnetic strips, being rubber-based (I think), kept clogging the sand paper. The next thing I need to do, is to apply some sort of finish to the inside of the kerfs, so that the thin boards are no longer ‘unfinished’ on one side. That should make both top and bottom of the boards more equal, and less likely to warp/cup. At least that’s what I hope. How to get some sort of finish in those narrow kerfs is still a mystery to me. Any ideas? Please let me know.

Anyway, I hope this helped somewhat. I •very• much like my SRD Paddle Strop. When I first thought about getting one, I thought how neat it would be. Unlike a wide hanging strop, this thing will always be completely flat. Not quite so though ;-( I'm sure though, with a few little changes, it will be just fine. It’s a fine product, and I'm grateful for them having made it.

Dude you are like my hero. I knew it was the strop. I dont have time to do all that I think im going to see if i cant give it back for a good hanging strop

All you need to do is put a straight edge across the strop,that will tell you all you need to know.
Entire issue could have been resolved long ago,good luck

Originally Posted by ELDivo

Dude you are like my hero. I knew it was the strop. I dont have time to do all that I think im going to see if i cant give it back for a good hanging strop

Look at the heel and wear of your razor. The speculation beyond that is amazing!!!!! now you have a Hero and a razor with very poor wear!!! I can't imagine the heel of that razor not marking or scratching up every strop I own..........Oy!!

I'm not going to mess with taking photos now, maybe tomorrow, but I just checked my modular paddle with a square, like a miniature framing square to be specific. Mine is square and flat across the top on both sides. Could it be pilot error that is causing the scuffing ?

I strop more lightly on a paddle than on a hanging strop. I don't know what it is, but it seems to me, that too much pressure can easily be applied to a paddle. Maybe it is because it just doesn't have the flex that a hanger has ? Maybe I'm the only one ? Anyway ....... try lightning up on your stroke, IMHO.

Send that nasty, bad paddle strop to me El Divo !!!
I'll straighten that &%$*@ out !!
I'll lock her %^& in the shave den & put an old Sheffield wedge on her every night !!

El Divo -- I think bruseth's theory is flawed...specifically...if what he theorizes were to happen, as least as I understand his explanation, the leather side would be convex, with the "hump" in the middle, which would create the opposite problem that you described and the leather would wear in the middle, not on the edges.

Add to that the fact that I too have the paddle strop and find it hard to believe that the differential would actually occur, unless possibly if you live in a rain forest.

I think you have a razor or technique problem.

Did you call SRD?

El Divo - man does it suck when you discover there is a problem with your equipment! Been there! I feel your pain.

Heck, I think it's natural to jump to conclusions in an effort to get back in the game when there is a problem as obvious as yours! But I don't think you are addressing the issue correctly and that's giving some of us pause. Moreover, you are seemingly willing to place blame on the strop before doing your due diligence - which will bite you in the..., as in the long-run, it could just as easily be your razor that's the problem. Which is a bigger issue than the strop (I think anyway). All everyone here is doing is trying to ensure its not the blade that's warped, and trying to help, as many of us have had that problem ourselves. Make sense?

It would behoove you to be a bit more methodical in your approach before making any conclusions that will ultimately hurt your face. Were it me, I would:

A - get some type of level (or flat surface) and see if your strop is indeed bulging or cupping at the edges.

B - as important - maybe more importantly - you need to make sure it's not your razor that is warped.

Do you have a surface you know is flat? Like a well lapped hone? If you do - can you see air under it? When you flip it over, does only the middle touch the stone or one edge not touch?

Take pictures as you progress with your elimination so that we here can all help - we want to help because otherwise, you ain't going to be getting good shaves! And none of us want that for any of our fellow members.

Good luck - look forward to seeing more info!

bruseth - though I understand exactly what you were trying to convey - as far as I know, the issue of cupping would not occur because of the magnet attached to the one side.

Cupping generally occurs due to where the wood is taken from the log.

This is a great explanation:

why does the wood cup? - WOOD Community