Thread: Applying Dovo paste to a strop

I just got a tube of Dovo's red paste, and just wanted to get a quick run-down on how to apply it to an old strop. Do you use it straight up with your finger, or is there anything else I need to know?

I know this is , just wanted to check back before doing something stupid.

Did you try the dovo red first? Because I absolutely do not like it,
but there are others that use it frequently.
You should check wich one of those you are before treating your leather irreversably.
Just apply a little bit of dovo red to a thick piece of newspaper,
that has been glued to wood or something else.
Let dry and try-strop on it. If the results please you,
you can apply the paste to your leather.

I therefore simply put a little bit on my finger and rubb it onto the leather.
The nature of your leather determines if the paste can be applied easily or if it will smear around.
Don´t use too much at once, apply thin layers

I haven't used the Dovo paste so I'm not 100% sure this will help, but it should at least give the general idea.

Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial - Straight Razor Place Wiki

When learning pastes, I think balsa wood will work fine. I buy it in 3 inch by 3 foot sections, cut it in half to give #2 3 inch by 1.5 foot sections. Or, 4 sides to paste and experiment with.

While you are experimenting, no need to paste the wood to anything. Use it as is. At $3 per board, from a hobby store, you can't go wrong!

(When you decide which pastes you will be using, you might want to glue it down. See the wiki's here.)

Dovo red is rather agreesive, similar in finish to a 8k grit hone.


Not at all the same as 0.5um ChromOx, or something along those lines, just for your information.

Dovo red paste i have a strop pasted with red dovo it is infact like the old rouge i being a barber and noing a 78 year old barber he used coticule and red roug on leather i prefer issards paste that stuff can realy bring back an edge followed by cr.5 oxide is very good . red sovo does work and its easy to get old of i used it the other night i honed a blade on coticule stropped 40 laps on red and the edge was passing hht quite easy you have to try and see what you think good thing about dovo paste it goes on desd easy just put a thew pea sizes amounts on and rub in it will be dry in an hour.

So if I got this all straight:

• Don't mess up a strop with paste until you know you like it
• Balsa Wood is a cheaper alternative to a ruined strop
• Dovo Red is the equivalent of 8000 grit, so there's no point in having it if I already have an 8000 hone
• Chromium Oxide is the first paste worth exploring

Thanks for all the tips. I'm really feeling dumb for dropping money on this stuff before checking with the group here.

I use pastes primarily after the barbers hone, which I think is a little different than most here. I use Dovo Red, Dovo Black and then Chromium Oxide 0.5 micron. Dovo Black is finer than Dovo Red. Not a big deal. But, if you have Dovo Black, that might be a good middle ground between Red and CrO.

But, you should be OK without it.