Thread: How do I apply paste?

I have a brand new paddle strop from Thiers Issard and some paste from them as well. Pictures attached.

The instructions that came with the strop say (EMPHASIS in the original):

We recommend that the user starts the stropping session by putting a VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OUR PASTE on one leather surface. (ALWAYS PUT THE PASTE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STROP). After stropping the razor on this surface, turn the leather strop over and lubricate the other clean leather surface with the oil from the palm of your hand. Then finish strop your razor on this "clean" leather surface as a final stropping step.

Well, this leads me to a few questions!

1. Does this really mean to re-apply the paste every stropping session?
2. Does this really mean to strop with the pasted side every stropping session?
3. The instructions seem to imply it doesn't matter which side of the strop I paste but it seems I should only use the slightly rougher leather.
4. Precisely how do I apply the paste? Like using a crayon?
5. Should the paste cover the entire surface of the strop or should it just be a strip down the middle (as was applied to a beginners strop I bought from a dealer -- not just from a private person who may not have known what was best).
6. I also have chromium dioxide paste. Should I use that or the paste that came with the strop. I think it makes sense to use what came with the strop but thought I'd ask anyway while I am here!

OK, enough for now. Maybe some answers will set me straight or maybe pronpt more questions!

I know it must be easy and I am probably over analyzing things (I do that) but this is brand new, wasn't cheap, and I don't want to mess up with some bone-headed misstep.