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So I was looking at Tony's website and noticed that the paddle strops are much cheaper than the hanging variant. I'm a newbso forgive me for not knowing, but what is the difference between a Paddle strop and the hanging kind? Could I buy a paddle strop to save on some dough and still be able to strop as well as with a hanging strop?
It's possable but you would end up doing more rounds on the paddle, due to it's short length. I use one of his paddle strops as a pasted strop between my 8k stone and the hanging strop.
If you just go with a paddle strop, keep one side clean, not pasted.
While a hanging strop is really the best tool in most guys opinions many do use just a paddle. A hanging strop has far more surface area making it do it's job better and faster. A paddle thought offer more surfaces, one pasted , one plain so may be a bit more versatile if starting out on the cheap. Once you add a hanging strop later the paddle still has it's place.
Thiers Issard actually suggests paddles for it's razors and that is all they manufacture. Dovo on the other hand makes both types covering all bases.
So, a paddle is more versatile giving a way to strop and refresh an edge but most guys still go for a hanging strop. Eventually you'll probably add stones too which have a few advantage a paddle does not.
Tony
Thanks A lot guys. Tony, seeing as how you're the stropmeister here, what kind of a paddle strop would you recommend for a beginner, I don't care if it takes a bit longer to strop, I'm just starting out and would like to get a decent set up going. I've already got a brush, mug, and soap, in fact that's how I shave with my current razor, which alas, is not a straight as it hasn't arrived yet.
Can you explain strop paste to me, I've heard about it, I don't really quite understand what it is, or how it works, I thought stropping was to bring the end of the blade back out straight as it microscopically folds over as you shave, the stone was for sharpening. Thanks,
~Colin
Colin,
I plain leather strop does align the edge, a pasted strop is plain leather over which an abrasive paste has been applied. it works much like a hone or stone but to a finer degree. it can be used to refresh an edge or to add a polish to a blade coming off of a hone/stone much as a fine finishing stone can. A finishing stone is a little trickier to use but may give a better geometry, a pasted strop is easy for anyone to learn and comes pretty close to a perfect edge.
A basic starter paddle could be as simply as a 2 side model with one plain and one pasted side such as I, Dovo or Thiers Issard makes. A variation would be a loom type where a leather belt is stretched over a metal frame. Jemico, Thiers Issard and myself also make 4 sided paddles giving a variety or surfaces for up to 3 pastes along with the finish stropping side.
Tony