Thread: Strop Question

hey guys. i have an old paddle strop from my grandfather. its a durham duplex razor co. strop.

i have a 1 micron and a .5 micron diamond lapping compound on its way to my house this week.

my questions are, can i use this old strop with the new compound? or will there be some type of grit comtamintaion if he had something on there before?

if so can i clean it somehow?
and, if i use the strop with the .50 micron do i really need to storp on a hanging strop after this? can i use a nice clean piece of leather cut into a strip?

i don't want to sound cheap but i'm just getting into this and i want to try it with as little investment as possible, just encase i find i don't like it.

thankfully these razors are pretty sharp already, and don't need honing from what i can tell. they have popped a hanging hair or two, but it took some tries. i think the compound will help without me having to invest in a 70 dollar norton stone.

i'm happy i found a local place selling amplex water soluble diamond lapping compound for just over $12. even if i have them shipped from the place i'll still save
thanks for the info guys. i hope this works and is as good as you all say. because i'm really sick of dealing with a mach3 and all of its troubles and expenses

First, I am not the paddle strop expert here!!! But, I'll go out on a limb and suggest that you could use shaving lather or a mild saddle soap and clean the leather - gently. I would say a gentle wash cloth or toothbrush (don't scratch your leather ) could be used additionally, if needed. Don't saturate or soak the leather, either.

Allow to dry thoroughly before pasting. If really needed, condition very lightly with mink oil, rub in thoroughly and, again, allow to dry before pasting.

As you may have read, allow paste to dry completely before stropping.

If you do any of the above, let me know if it worked!!

i'll have to give it a try. if its no good then there's no loss if i ruin it. thanks!

Good luck!

alright so one side seems to be a redish color and the other is a natural color, whats the difference? different leather? one side meant for finishing? thanks

According to Dr. Chris Moss (Guide to Straight Razor Shaving - available at www.shavemyface.com) the red is hematite, a traditional paste.