Concern with my paddle strop.

Fairly new to straight razor shaving, about two months now. My first strop has been a new SRD 3 inch hanging strop that has been working out very well. About a month ago I also picked up a SRD 3 inch two sided paddle strop. I've treated the rough side with chromium oxide paste and have left the smooth side as is.

Here is my concern: Last night I was using the smooth side on the paddle strop and noticed something odd. My blade edge was not making full contact across the width of the strop. The center of the blade edge was in contact while the heel and toe portions of the edge had a very slight gap between the blade edge and the strop. This was apparent with several razors. This morning I laid a machinist flat edge across the width of the strop and the strop has a very slight hump in the center running the length of the strop.

What can I do about correcting this? The strop has been used and also treated with paste so returning it I feel is not in order. Is there anything that I can do to flatten the smooth side in order the have full contact with the blade edge?

I have been very careful in storage and the leather has not been subjected to any moisture. HELP

I'm not sure how to flatten the leather so I would use a rolling X stroke with the blade to contact all points of the blade on the strop. You could also replace the leather with balsa and sand it flat.

bj

You can lap the paddlestrop much like a hone but keep it dry. I think I've lapped a benchstrop I made to 400 grit sanding paper, some of the strop experts will be able to tell you which grit is best for finishing. Nothing to worry about, it will turn out fine after a decent amount of sanding :)

I have sanded leather, but if you go too far and/or use too coarse a grit, you will end up into the flesh side and it may (or maybe not - depends on the leather) get very fibrous and rough.

A lot of the old vintage paddles were made with very thin leather over a cotton wadding layer which was purposely raised in the middle, so the paddle is "humped" in cross-section. Like 2sharp says, an X stroke was the norm with this type of paddle so maybe try it on yours before sanding it.

Regards,
Neil.

Gentlemen, thank you for your reply's. I will try using the x-stroke on this paddle, however that sort of defeats the benifit of having a 3 inch paddle. I'm not comfortable with sanding this paddle at this time, maybe if I learn more about that technique.

Disclaimer: In mentioning where I purchased this paddle I in no way meant to discredt SRD. I only mentioned SRD in order to inform members of the type of paddle in question.

After reading Miller's reply I realize that if the leather is raised by the wood not being flat or because of a (cotton) layer, sanding may not be the best solution and (too much) sanding may lead to other problems.

Could you take some pictures of the strop for illustration?

When I first got into the Straight Razor thing I made my own paddle strop out of leather and noticed I did not get full contact with the blade so I took the leather off and replaced it with balsa. Balsa is easy to refurbish with a sanding block or sand paper on a flat surface. I think if I did it today I would use hard felt for the paddle strop. For me leather would be my last choice for a paddle.

bj

I used this paddle strop again today. Using only the smooth leather side, (as the flesh side is coated with CrOx) it again was apparent how humped up it is in the middle down the length of the strop it is. Even switching to using an X-pattern I'm losing so much area of the leather surface. And even using the X-pattern really dosen't work all that well unless I "rock the blade from side to side as I'm sliding the blade down the length of the strop. As I stated earlier I don't wish to sand the surface. But is there anything else that I can do? Since its a 3 inch width I would sure like to be able to use all of the surface area.:confused:

Thanks, Jim

Maybe you've got a defective paddle. I just received two SRD paddles myself and one of them is being sent back for an exchange tomorrow because, like yours, it has a hump. Actually in my case it has a lump. It's a spot the size of a quater in the middle of the paddle and you can tell it's that the wood was not properly sanded / cut flat before gluing the leather. I love my paddles, always have, and the SRD is the best I've seen in a long time but maybe they need to do a little better on QC as I have heard others express concerns with their paddles.

i would contact srd and see what they say and or recomend, bassed on all my dealings and everyone elses recomendations i think they would help sort you out, its just good business to do that.

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Originally Posted by UtahRootBeer

i would contact srd and see what they say and or recomend, bassed on all my dealings and everyone elses recomendations i think they would help sort you out, its just good business to do that.

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He's right, they have always been good dealing with customer concerns.

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Originally Posted by DistortedPenguin

Maybe you've got a defective paddle. I just received two SRD paddles myself and one of them is being sent back for an exchange tomorrow because, like yours, it has a hump. Actually in my case it has a lump. It's a spot the size of a quater in the middle of the paddle and you can tell it's that the wood was not properly sanded / cut flat before gluing the leather. I love my paddles, always have, and the SRD is the best I've seen in a long time but maybe they need to do a little better on QC as I have heard others express concerns with their paddles.

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Do you think it would be possible to remove the leather and re-sand the wood surface and then glue the leather back on. Has anyone ever tried this?

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Originally Posted by jimk

Do you think it would be possible to remove the leather and re-sand the wood surface and then glue the leather back on. Has anyone ever tried this?

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I haven't tried it but sure it can be done. If the paddle is a somewhat recent purchase I would still contact SRD and ask them for help or the possibility of an exchange.

Yes contact the shipper/ vendor.

It is possible that it was not glued as well
as it might. If I was making one I would
support it from below cover both sides with
foil or plastic wrap and stack some books
and bricks on it after gluing.

This should work on a paddle strop built
on a solid chunk of wood but not one built
in the style of a loom strop with an air gap
in the middle. I would be tempted to dry
this if you have the strop I am looking
at on the web.

Leather is interesting stuff. I had a wide strop
that developed a bow partly because it
was not supported by a canvas back strop and
partly because I applied way too much strop
dressing one time.

I took it to the kitchen and saddle soaped the
heck out of both sides two days in a row. Then
I hung it out to dry for a couple days, applied a thin bit of
mink oil then a thin bit of strop dressing from
my 40 year old first buy jar and it was good as new.
It was a bit stiff at first but it came back nicely.

I ended up repairing this myself. Removing the leather, cleaning the old glue off and checking with a Starrett flat edge. The wood surface itself had a raised portion about 2 inchs wide and ran down the center of the paddle length wise the full portion where the leather is glued on. I flattened this section out and checked with the machinist flat edge as I went. Re-glued the leather back on this evening. Came out better than new.:)

I'd like to say thanks to all of you who gave me input on this matter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jimk

I ended up repairing this myself. Removing the leather, cleaning the old glue off and checking with a Starrett flat edge. The wood surface itself had a raised portion about 2 inchs wide and ran down the center of the paddle length wise the full portion where the leather is glued on. I flattened this section out and checked with the machinist flat edge as I went. Re-glued the leather back on this evening. Came out better than new.:)

I'd like to say thanks to all of you who gave me input on this matter.

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I figured it was the wood and not the leather as I mentioned I had a similar problem with the same paddle. Glad to hear you got it fixed.

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Originally Posted by DistortedPenguin

I figured it was the wood and not the leather as I mentioned I had a similar problem with the same paddle. Glad to hear you got it fixed.

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Before I removed the leather I thought that maybe the glue was put on too thick down the center of the paddle, at least thats what I was hoping. But nope, it was the wood that was the problem. Just took me a few hours work and it was good to go.

I have a TI paddle same design as yours mine is flat but i noticed my pasted side as a slight hup in the middle i think this is due to paste build up so i scrubed it with a pumice stone and it s much better but i have to use an x or like a window wiper stroke i have a livi loom and i stil strop with an x . Its like 3" wide hones i never go up and down because the whole blade would'nt make contact.. If the hump is that bad your having to roll then i'd send it back theres oviously a fault .

Out Of Curiosity What Type/Brand Of Glue Did You Use?

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Originally Posted by UtahRootBeer

Out Of Curiosity What Type/Brand Of Glue Did You Use?

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The original glue used appeared to be Barge cement. That's a very good adhesive for leather however care must be taken thet it's not put on too thick.
The glue that I used when putting my paddle and leather back was "Duro All Purpose Spray Adhesive". I sprayed both surfaces. This goes on very smooth and very even.