Thread: Got strop, Got paste. Now what?

Hi all,

I've just bought a second hand Moose Brand Junior strop and I've got a couple of questions if someone could help me out.

1. There's a brown and a black side. Is one side likely to be more of a 'finishing' side than the other? If so which one?

2. I've got som Dovo Yellow paste, what's the best way to apply it and how much do I use?

3. The brown side is a bit rippled as if the strop has been stored rolled up, I've heard that a glass bottle or rolling pin can be used to flatten it but do you rub with the bottle or roll the bottle along it?

4. Is there any way of telling if someone has used any abrasive pastes on it in the past?

so many questions!

Thanks in advance.

Luke

Hi Luke,

ad 1: I would think the black side is for "finishing" (with paste) while the brown side sounds like the leather-side for every-day stropping

ad 2: The Yellow Paste is for the leather side only, so the brown side in your case. Apply sparingly and rub in while the strop lies down on a flat, solid surface (Table ...). Let is then rest on a flat surface for some hours.

ad 3: Similar to ad 2: Put on flat table and smoothen it with a glass bottle by rubbing it along the strop using moderate pressure.

ad 4: Hard to tell - usually the pastes make the surface somewhat tarnished, while the leather side should be more shiny. But the latter depends much on the treatment the leather side has received, so again: hard to tell without seeing it.

Hope this helps,
-Axel-

In answer to your questions:

1-I'm not familiar with your particular strop but most leather strops came with a linen strop. The linen was for initial stroping and the leather was usually finished on one side and not on the other. However some are somewhat finished on the reverse side and can be used as a rough stropper without seeing if thats the kind you have I can't tell you. probably if its relatively smooth its safe to use.

2-a small amount on your thumb and rub in well. A little goes a long way so don't overdo it. Just work it in real good. You can also use standard strop dressing which personally I prefer but thats just me.

3-If its been stored rolled up for a long time using a bottle or rolling pin won't do any good you'll need to wet it real good and then let it dry flat out. It should dry flat. I had one like that and that's what I had to do but by all means try the bottle or rolling pin first. You could also try and attach a 5lb weight to it if it won't straighten and let it hang a few weeks. I tied that too and it didn't work. Actually the bottle and rolling pin trick is for breaking in a new strop.

4-Its hard to tell if abrasives have been used but in general abrasives will either discolor the leather or take the shine away so use that as a guideline.

I've put a couple of photos up here http://doxhead.blogspot.com/
When I strop with it I can't feel a difference between the two sides.

Luke

Strop looks fine

I'd just run my finger over each side, the one that feels smoothest is the daily stropping leather. If you can't tell, the razor won't know either. I would suggest if that doesn't decide it for you, based on your photo to use the brown side for daily stropping and go put some paste on the black side. I can easily tell if it has paste but if its been washed off you can't tell and it remains. Just get some Goop or like cleaner (non water based cleaner) and clean it properly as if it had been used with paste, then reapply.

Sounds like your razor (from reading your blog) still isn't sharp enough, so stropping won't help much with a blade you describe as being so torn up.

BTW...stop buying strops second hand...its more trouble than its worth...

Do not put abrasive cutting pastes on a hanging strop. It will ruin your bevel. Save those pastes for a paddle strop.

That razor looks like it has an excellent smile on it. I find these shapes extremely comfortable to maneuver. Get another cheap razor or two from ebay and you'll be able to warm up on them before jumping on to the daily shaver.

Originally Posted by doxhead

I've put a couple of photos up here http://doxhead.blogspot.com/
When I strop with it I can't feel a difference between the two sides.

Luke

Luke,
The razor looks great. I buy razors on ebay (12 in fact) haven't bought a strop though. I agree with X about putting paste on a hanging strop. It would be too difficult to control and you would probably ruin your bevel.

Actually I have a couple hanging strops with diamond paste on them and I found out the hard way you can't use them hanging but if you lie them flat on a hard surface they work just fine.

Originally Posted by xman

Do not put abrasive cutting pastes on a hanging strop. It will ruin your bevel.

That razor looks like it has an excellent smile on it.

Sounds like good advice, I'll keep it clean.

Xman, what do you mean by 'smile'?

Just to allay everyones fears I didn't buy the strop 2nd hand (sight unseen) on eBay, it is second hand but it's from a barber's trade shop so I knew it had one side that was good condition and one that could perhaps be restored.

Cheers

Luke