TM Paddle strop maintenance?

A colleague of mine has a TM 4 sided paddle.
He is very happy with it, but told me that it seems as if the paste and the leather are drying out a bit.

Now, since I don't have paddles or pasted strops, I wouldn't know if it needs maintenance, new paste, or simply a drop of strop dressing.
What do you guys recommaned?

Strop dressing. Tony sends a little bottle of it with each purchase.

In my experience, my TM two-sided paddle strop with diamond paste works best when it is bone dry (the paste can take a while to dry, especially if you lay it on a bit thick). Unless the leather is cracking, I'd say dry is good.

The only time I've had to do 'maintenance' of any sort on the paddle is when it started to look black from the steel. Then i just wiped it gently with a damp cloth until the now-grey paste was all off and then reapplied the paste sparingly. Others here have suggested black/grey discolouring from steel doesn't actually affect its performance and is just an aesthetic thing.

I find the paddle is less effective unless it is completely dry.

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Originally Posted by majurey

In my experience, my TM two-sided paddle strop with diamond paste works best when it is bone dry (the paste can take a while to dry, especially if you lay it on a bit thick). Unless the leather is cracking, I'd say dry is good.

The only time I've had to do 'maintenance' of any sort on the paddle is when it started to look black from the steel. Then i just wiped it gently with a damp cloth until the now-grey paste was all off and then reapplied the paste sparingly. Others here have suggested black/grey discolouring from steel doesn't actually affect its performance and is just an aesthetic thing.

I find the paddle is less effective unless it is completely dry.

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How do you apply the paste? All over or X's? Do you rub it in with a cloth?

You would want the pasted paddle bone dry as suggested. Moisture just makes the razor drag or bog down on the pastes and is less effective.

Only the red side of a combo type paddle should have normal strop dressing applied and then only if it really needs it.

Tony

I unknowingly laid mine down on a small puddle of water, and later discovered a dark, quarter dollar-sized smooth spot on my paddle. I guess I need to resurface it

I have a 4 sided one but haven't pasted it yet. I was wondering if there might be a chance of contaminating one side to another with varying grits if care was not taken when laying it down or storing it in general. I was thinking of drilling a hole in the end of the handle and hanging it where there would be less chance of that. Any thought?

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Originally Posted by Chimensch

How do you apply the paste? All over or X's? Do you rub it in with a cloth?

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Oops, sorry, let this one drop.

I apply paste as a series of small dots, direct from the syringe (amplex diamond) spaced evenly, then use my finger to smooth over evenly. Let it dry for a couple of days, then you're good to go.

I hang mine up when not using it (there's a reason why Tony puts those neat little hooks in the end of the handle! :p).