Thread: Newbie, need some help here

Hey all,

I have received a razor from my brother which seems to be this one: DOVO Straight Razors

I have also received a strop, which is a German style one from Dovo, resembling though not exactly this one:
Google Image Result for http://www.koordenwinkel.eu/shaving/images/T/DSC_3556-150.jpg

The problem I have is using this strop correctly. Basically, I received some 'green' stick with it, to rub on the green part of the strop. On the other side is a far softer type of leather (kinda like leather turned inside out, if that makes sense).

Now how do I go about treating this strop and stropping correctly? I called the shop and I had to rub some of that green stuff on the green side of the strop (I could have guessed that :-)). They were kind enough to invite me over to give, free of charge, a 'shaving session' to learn to shave and strop etc... properly. While this is all very nice, I live quite far and need some help from you guys, as I can not wait to start using this!

Could someone be so kind as to teach me a little bit how to treat this kind of strop and how to 'strop' properly with this type?

I've been wanting a straight razor forever now, however I couldn't find one, and seeing that my brother apparently spent quite some cash on it, I definately want to use it and handle it with the care it deserves!

My first shave with it (I used it without stropping) was absolutely relaxing, especially with all the brushing your face with the special soap and so on before shaving :-) The shaving itself was quite the challenge and I made the rookie mistake of going sideways at first (I mean, making a slicing move, instead of going straight down) and well, I got one nice cut hehe, it was cut so fine it didn't even bleed! Anyhow, I would truly appreciate some help on how to treat my strop and how to strop correctly with this kind of strop (what side to start and on what side to finish? Should I always put the green stuff? And how do I apply it? And how often? And what does the green stuff do?).

Also, I noticed a tiny spot of rust on it as he's been keeping it stored for a while now for this occasion. I called the shop and they will take care of it, but in the future, how would I go about taking care of this myself?



Thanks a lot!


Edit: My strop is almost exactly this one: http://www.koordenwinkel.eu/shaving/...C_3557-450.jpg

Only that mine has a green side, and not a red side. So 'green paste' has to be applied regularly..

If it were me, I wouldnt worry about the paste, I'd stick to linen and leather. Maybe later you may want to experiment with pastes but they are not necessary!

Jantje,

Welcome to SRP! (are you in Belgium?)

Your strop is called a loom strop, which is a kind of pasted paddle strop. It has it's place in sharpening and maintaining a razor's edge, but for daily stropping it is not really suitable. For now, you can get by with stropping on the clean leather side only, but I really recommend that you'd buy a hanging strop with a linen side and a leather side.

For the time being, adjust your loom strop to be taut, but not overly tight, and strop on the clean side. Make sure to store it in its box with the same side up every time, so that you don't contaminate the clean leather with the green paste that tends to get on the inside of the box as well. If the green stuff is Dovo's green paste, then it is a rather coarse compound that leaves a coarse edge, harsh to the face. Dovo's red paste is a bit finer. You could get a small tube of that one and put it on the clean side of the loom strop, once you get a dedicated hanging strop for your daily stropping. The loom strop with green side and red side can be used to produce a shaving edge on your razor. It is not the most comfortable edge, but it 'll do. The paste has to be applied thin on the leather. It should be translucent a bit. You can remove the excess with a rag. Simply rub the surface and often change to a clean part of the rag, till the leather starts to come through.

Here's a link to a decent explanation, and some good video's about stropping.
Razor stropping - Straight Razor Place Wiki

To prevent rust, I thoroughly dry my razors after use and then apply a light coat of sewing machine oil. It's better to store them in a dry place and not in the humid conditions of a bathroom.

Hope this helps,
Best regards,
Bart.

I am indeed from Belgium :-)

Thanks for the excellent explanation!

I was afraid I had to go get another one.. I suppose my brother will understand me getting another strop! What is kinda strange however, is that he bought it at the coutellerie du roi (in Brussels). I don't understand why they would sell him that one... they should be royal experts when it comes to this type of 'gear'..

The PASTE is exactly this:

Puma, no 3, extrafein pasta, made in germany.

So it's not exactly the dovo pasta, more like 'PUMA', that any good/different?

So I will go and take another strop then, as I want my shave to be as comfortable as possible!

Thanks again for the info. I'm sure I'll be asking a ton of other questions as soon as I get my strop :-)

So from now on, when I will have another strop like the one you suggest, when should I use the one I already have? Every month or so? No clue really...

Originally Posted by Jantjeuh

I am indeed from Belgium :-)

Thanks for the excellent explanation!

I was afraid I had to go get another one.. I suppose my brother will understand me getting another strop! What is kinda strange however, is that he bought it at the coutellerie du roi (in Brussels). I don't understand why they would sell him that one... they should be royal experts when it comes to this type of 'gear'..

If that's the store in the Royal Gallery, it's just a cutlery store that also sells a few razors. It would not be the first time someone experiences that cutlery store owners don't completely understand the vast differences between razors and other types of knives...

Originally Posted by Jantjeuh

The PASTE is exactly this:
Puma, no 3, extrafein pasta, made in germany.
So it's not exactly the dovo pasta, more like 'PUMA', that any good/different?

Puma is a maker of top quailty razors that stopped production many years ago. I don't really know their pastes, but if it states "extrafein" and looks green, there's a very high chance that it is Chromium Oxide (CrO) based paste. This is one of the most frequently used media for finishing an edge after honing. The particle size is about 0.5 microns, which is way finer than the Green Dovo paste. If I'm correct with this assumption, then this is good news. CrO is good, and it doesn't make the edge coarse as the Dovo green paste, that requires further refinement. You still need to make sure that there's just a hint of it on your strop, and only use it when you feel that normal stropping on clean leather doesn't bring the edge in such good condition anymore. When that happens, it's time for a "touch up" on the CrO. Usually it takes 5 to 10 laps (=one stroke forth, flip over the spine and one stroke back). After that you should be good for about 10 shaves, possibly much more. After a few touch-ups, the CrO will seem to loose its magic. It is time then for a rehoning job.

I live somewhere in the Mechelen-Lier-Aarchot triangle. You're always welcome to drop by at my place for help. The wife and kids are used to weird guys showing up with a box of straight razors.

Best regards,

Bart.

Welcome to SRP. You're in good hands with Bart. Here is some good stuff to read and here are videos to watch.

Thanks again for all the extra information!

The shop is not the one from that gallery near the 'nieuwstraat'. It's the one between Grand Place and the Central Train station in a lost part from Brussels! That store is mainly for shaving gear, instead of the usual knives as in the other 'supplier to the court' :-)

Good to hear the paste should be good! Again, do I still need another strop? If so, what amount should I spend on it? (Function goes over form in my case, so whatever gets the job done is ok for me).

Should I really be carving up my face for several weeks straight I might take you up on that invitation

Thanks for the links to the Videos!

Yes, I really think you should get a hanging strop. The clean part of your loom strop can be used in a pinch, but for decent stropping prior to each shave, you'll really appreciate the benefits of a decent hanging strop.
This one (De Koordenwinkel / shaving-and-razor-shop.com :: Strops and hones :: DOVO 46cm rindleather strop/canvas) is the cheapest Dovo strop and it 'll do just fine.
This one (De Koordenwinkel / shaving-and-razor-shop.com :: Strops and hones :: DOVO 50cm russian leather strop/canvas) is slightly more expensive. It has a nicer linen (the fabric backside of the strop that also has its use) and the leather has a bit more draw to it.

I still use my first strop. It has a few nicks from occasional slip-ups that mostly happened during the first few months, but that doesn't defeat the tools purpose. I think it will last me a life-time.

Thanks for the info about the store. I'll go searching for it next time I go to Brussels.

Best regards,
Bart.