Thread: travel strop, different pasting method

I had to show somebody my new travel strop, and you guys are the only ones I know that would be interested. It is made of quarter sawn white oak with felt lined space for razor storage. The leather is vegetable tanned. There is a magnet for the catch.

I have been experimenting for a while with different methods of applying paste to paddle strops. On this strop I used a half pound cut of shellac (the ratio of a half pound shellac resin to a gallon of alcohol) to wet/adhere the chromium oxide to the leather. It makes for very little draw and kind of a slick feel but it works well, but slowly. It keeps the chromium oxide in place very well. As you can see, I can place the green side on a white tablecloth (with no transfer). Maybe not the best for bench strops but might be the ticket for something that goes in your suitcase.

I first spread the powder on the leather then used a wad of cloth to spread on the shellac.

Charlie