Thread: Tony's four sided paddle strop

Hey Tony,

I just recently bought a four side box strop from your ebay site.
I'm pretty sure that other SRP dudes have them also, and I was wondering if you could take a bit 'o' time and describe the proper use of this fine looking piece of equipment. Mine is the standard version that you sell, 2 sueded split surfaces (2 colors to keep track of grit sizes), one natural top grain surface and one smooth latigo. http://tinyurl.com/b5p8h

Is there conditioning that needs to be done before use ?
Which is the natural top grain and which the latigo ?
Tan color / Reddish color.
Is there a difference between the two split suedes, other than color?

Hate to be a bother, but as a newbie myself, and for the other noobee's onsite, it would be a great help.

As always, recommendations from other strop experts is always appreciated.

Steve,
Glad you liked the strop. There shoulf have been instructions in the box along with it showing proper stropping technique and how to paste the strop.
Your strop had 4 sides, two with rough split leather, one with a natural untreated leather and one a smooth latigo.
Your start with the rough leather and use it for your coarse paste, probably a 1.0 micron. The next surface, 1/4 turn away is the tan natural leather. I suggest the fine paste for it, 0.5 micron. Next surface, another 1/4 turn is a rough leather again and is for preliminary stropping daily in place of linen, next one around is the deep red/brown latigo for final stropping.
It does not matter which of the rough surfaces you use for the paste and which is plain but I like to work around the strop by turning it counterclockwise 1/4 turn for each new surface when it is in my left hand. if you hold it right handed then the pastes should go around it in the opposite direction. The two rough surfaces are different colors so you can keep track of them easier.
As for conditioning the latigo is ready to use as is but eventually you may want to use a strop dressing. I still have Fromm strop dressing but now bottle my own dressing in 2 or 4 ounce sizes.
Just in case you didn;t get instruction send me an e-mail with your address and I will mail another set out.
Thanks,
Tony Miller

I sthere any draw back to having pasted and unpasted surfaces on the same tool? Should some special care be taken not to foul the clean sides?

Xman,
Even on an all pasted strop one should wipe the blade off between surfaces..........in theory. In practice if you have enough paste to rub off onto the blade you are using too much paste. I get best results when the paste is embedded into the surface not built up on top.
Tony

Thanks so much Tony, your explanation cleared my confusion.
I'll be using it correctly from now on. ink:

Actually I've only used the latigo so far, the three other strips are untouched.

Thanks Again Tony.

You need to take care not to foul any side with material from another. That means you wipe the blade carefully before going to a new side.

Originally Posted by xman

I sthere any draw back to having pasted and unpasted surfaces on the same tool? Should some special care be taken not to foul the clean sides?

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

You need to take care not to foul any side with material from another. That means you wipe the blade carefully before going to a new side.

What about storing it in a box or wrapping it with something and keeping that clean where it needs to be. How is that accomplished?

Tony ships it in a bag that I saved and used for that purpose. I'm planning to make a rectangular sleeve to fit over it

Originally Posted by xman

What about storing it in a box or wrapping it with something and keeping that clean where it needs to be. How is that accomplished?

Joe,
I usually just wrap them in paper of plastic and ship that way. I have plastic tube material I ship my shakuhachi flutes in and could make tubes from that but each item costs money so I tried to not add anything to these so I could sell them at an affordable price.
On mine I simply put a cup hook on the end of each handle and hang them in a row. Being vertical very little dirt can settle on them. I am now including hooks with each I sell.
Tony

I'm going to see of the post office has any mail tubes of the right diameter. I can easily cut them to length.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Joe,
I usually just wrap them in paper of plastic and ship that way. I have plastic tube material I ship my shakuhachi flutes in and could make tubes from that but each item costs money so I tried to not add anything to these so I could sell them at an affordable price.
On mine I simply put a cup hook on the end of each handle and hang them in a row. Being vertical very little dirt can settle on them. I am now including hooks with each I sell.
Tony