Thread: Strop Paste is weird

Hi,
first of all im very new to this, so be forgiving of stupid questions.

I have a hanging leather strop from Dovo.

I read about the strop paste, and that if your blade is a little dull, then the green paste would be good.

I duly bought it, and applied the small amount recommended, and rubbed it in.

I was pretty shocked to se emy previously rather attractive strop turn green!

I stropped anyway and now the razor is basically blunt.

have I ruined my strop?
what did i do wrong?
Can someone explain more about the strop paste issue?

Cheers,
Gavin.

Sure, first I suggest some more research. Ever hear how a carpenter measures twice and cuts once. Follow the same advice. The green paste is designed to be a method of honing, it is applied to a strop and then that strop is, forevermore, a green pasted stropping "hone". It is no longer used for stropping, which is the final step before a shave. It is possible to remove all that nasty stuff with a waterless cleaner like Goop. Not 100 percent effective but better than what you have now, which is a pasted strop which will continually sharpen a razor, and eventually take it too sharp.

As far as turning dull, it could be technique or the specific grit you choose. Green paste can be a high grit or a low grit depending on who you bought it from.

You would need two strops if you continue to use pastes for sharpening.

ok, thanks,
I guess i could consider buying a new strop for regular use?

Should i apply no paste the the new strop, so that it remains as I bought it?

Also, i read that the angle of stropping should be the same as honing, which is that the back of the blade should also be resting on the strop, not elevated, is that true in your experience?

thanks for the advice,
Gavin

Very true, and yes you can buy another strop. That would be best. I think of it as no angle at all on both, they must be kept flat. Any mention of angle when stropping or honing is discussing how you turn the razor (clockwise) as it lays flat on the hone and strop.

Yes, apply no paste to the strop with the exception of what is called conditioner. You can apply that to keep it . . . well conditioned. Some refer to it as yellow paste. You don't need it at this point.

Gavin,

Do not throw out your green strop, it is not a total wash. There are various methods of sharpening a razor. One of which, is the pasted strop method. For this method you will need at least two more strops. One for red paste, which does not have to be a fancy. And a everyday stropping strop.

Green paste is a fast cutter, used to establish the initial bevel, and remove oxidation off the edge of older razors that have not been used for quite a while. In addition, the green paste is very useful on wedge razors in which you have to remove a lot of metal to sharpen.

Red paste establishes a keen edge, capable of shaving.

If you want, you can use finer cutting agents on another strop. I like to strop on a diamond paddle strop to give a final touch to the edge.

Finish by stropping about fifty times on a regular strop laying completely flat, and using a very light touch. Be sure to rotate it on the back of the razor at the end of the strokes, so as to not damage your razor's edge.

Don't feel too bad about having misunderstood the use of pastes, we all make mistakes, it is part of the learning process. When I first started using a straight, I ruined my first razor by using the wrong type of stone...

Good luck friend, happy shaving,
Mark.

Originally Posted by Gavin Price

Hi,
first of all im very new to this, so be forgiving of stupid questions.

I have a hanging leather strop from Dovo.

I read about the strop paste, and that if your blade is a little dull, then the green paste would be good.

I duly bought it, and applied the small amount recommended, and rubbed it in.

I was pretty shocked to se emy previously rather attractive strop turn green!

I stropped anyway and now the razor is basically blunt.

have I ruined my strop?
what did i do wrong?
Can someone explain more about the strop paste issue?

Cheers,
Gavin.

Originally Posted by mslovacek

Gavin,

Do not throw out your green strop, it is not a total wash. There are various methods of sharpening a razor. One of which, is the pasted strop method. For this method you will need at least two more strops. One for red paste, which does not have to be a fancy. And a everyday stropping strop.
====================================
Green paste is a fast cutter, used to establish the initial bevel, and remove oxidation off the edge of older razors that have not been used for quite a while. In addition, the green paste is very useful on wedge razors in which you have to remove a lot of metal to sharpen.
======================================

Not correct! Green paste is chrome oxide. The pre-mixed solution from HandAmerican.com is 0.5 microns in size as is the green honing compund available from Lee Valley.
There is anther provider of greenhoning compound, Formax Mfg. There micron size ranges up to 6.0 and is available in most woodworking stores. Neither one is suitable for restoring an old oxidised edge. A 1000-2000 grit(ANSI/CAMI standard sizing) or a 4000 grit JIS(Japanese) grit is needed for removal of an old oxidised edge.

Red paste establishes a keen edge, capable of shaving.
======================================
The red paste can be used but it is my last choice among the abrasive pastes


If you want, you can use finer cutting agents on another strop. I like to strop on a diamond paddle strop to give a final touch to the edge.

Finish by stropping about fifty times on a regular strop laying completely flat, and using a very light touch.
======================================
Most people do not lay their strops on something flat. They use it as a hanging strop. Most of us have found that it works better that way.


Be sure to rotate it on the back of the razor at the end of the strokes, so as to not damage your razor's edge.

Don't feel too bad about having misunderstood the use of pastes, we all make mistakes, it is part of the learning process. When I first started using a straight, I ruined my first razor by using the wrong type of stone...

Good luck friend, happy shaving,
Mark.

=====================================

The strop with green paste can now be used as a paddle strop. This assumes that the size of the abrasive is 0.5 micron. If your not sure then use some goop to remove as much paste as you can. Then reapply with a known size abrasive. The key here is to lay the green strop on a flat surface. You would use this after your fine/finishing hone for about 30 roundtrip laps. The clean the razor and go to the plain leather strop just before you shave ( NOT THE NIGHT BEFORE)


What this guy did wrong was to use his abrasive (green) pasted strop as a hanging strop.

Welcome to the forum. You've been given good advice so far and I am here to add to your confusion (sorry ).

Until recently the accepted wisdom was that honing pastes were solely for dead flat paddle style strops. Somebody (I think it was Nenad AKA Superfly) talked with an old tyme barber in the balkans who uses a green pasted hanging strop just as you describe yours daily before going to the plain strop and apparently gets great result. If you use the search function for "hanging strop with paste" you might find the thread. I would be very interested to see how this approach, or whatever you end up aiming toward, works for you. Please keep us posted over the weeks and months to come.

X

Xman,

I actually use a hanging strop made from a piece of 10oz leather with green paste. It works wonders for establishing an initial bevel. I have found that it needs additional stropping on another strop with the red paste to get it shave ready. I think green paste is way too course of a cutting agent to bring the razor to a shave ready condition. Perhaps there are finer chromium oxide pastes on the market, of which I have no experience with.

I love this hobby so much, there are so many ways of to approach the sharpening of razor, and good people to help out along the way!

Happy shaving,
Mark.

Originally Posted by xman

Welcome to the forum. You've been given good advice so far and I am here to add to your confusion (sorry ).

Until recently the accepted wisdom was that honing pastes were solely for dead flat paddle style strops. Somebody (I think it was Nenad AKA Superfly) talked with an old tyme barber in the balkans who uses a green pasted hanging strop just as you describe yours daily before going to the plain strop and apparently gets great result. If you use the search function for "hanging strop with paste" you might find the thread. I would be very interested to see how this approach, or whatever you end up aiming toward, works for you. Please keep us posted over the weeks and months to come.

X

Gavin, for the price you paid for the Dovo strop I would try too remove the paste. I would use a pumice stone (lightly scrub with the stone ) and a waterless hand cleaner. Work some Neatsfoot or Olive oil into the leather, wipe off the excess and lay flat for 24 hours. After that you might want too use a practice razor on it first too see how it feels. If still gritty and removing metal try repeating the process. The pumice will give the strop really nice drag not to be confused with the gritty feel of the paste.

As for using a hanging strop with paste I am not too sure about that.
I would suggest getting a paddle strop if you want to use paste.

Glen

I will disagree with Glen in regards to re-conditioning the leather. Do NOT use olive oil. It will oxidize over time. Use neatsfoot, mineral or mink if you have to. That said, I wouldn't condition it after cleaning. Try it 24hrs after cleaning, and then make the decision. I have not applied any conditioner to Tony's best #1 strop and I couldn't be happier with it.




Wayne