Dovo Red & Black Strop Paste?

Hello All,

I'm a newbie at straight razor shaving. I recently picked up one of the classic sharpening sets at classicshaving.com ( Classic Straight Razor Sharpening Set). I am wondering about the paste. I'm unsure whether or not to paste both sides of the paddle strop or to leave it unpasted. So far, I've just left the raw leather as it is on both sides and have been stropping with that. One side is a light tan in color and a bit smoother than the other black side, which has a felt-like feel. I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between the sides but should I be pasting both sides? I've noticed the edge on the razor getting a bit duller than it used to be, which was expected. However, I imagine that by using the paste, I'll be able to maintain the sharper edge for longer. Anyone have suggestions on a good stropping setup that I should be using?

Many Thanks!
Craig

You always need an unpasted strop for dayly stropping.
So unless you have another strop leave the smoth side unpasted

As for the pastes you have id suggest using the black one if you can have only one of them

Apiece of balsa wood can easely be used as a pasted strop
an old clean seatbelt/denim on a stiff backing among others can be used as is or with paste

Craig,

These days I tend to use CrOx & 0.5 micron diamond for my 'pasting'.

However, I still use the Dovo Red & Black pastes (I have them on the two sides of a small Streich-Riemen loom-strop) for my softer Sheffield blades, and for them, these pastes work very well :)

Good luck !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Interesting. So is the dovo red and black more for softer blades? What constitutes a softer blade? Also, do you guys recommend having balsa wood around as an extra pasted strop?

Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhatMan

However, I still use the Dovo Red & Black pastes, for my softer Sheffield blades, and for them, these pastes work very well :)

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+1 there is very little that works better on the older Sheffielders...

As to using Balsa???? (not my cup of tea) Yes that works really well for the CrOx and the Diamonds, but the Dovo pastes, IMHO work better on leather...

I'm bringing this up again, I have those red and black pastes and this small Dovo strop I didn't really know what to use for, so I did a little search and found this thread. Red paste on the back of the strop and black on the front, then did 20 laps on both with this old Sheffield blade and voila, it was back in business! I have to experiment with the number of laps needed, but this really did the trick on that blade!

It is a paste that has kinda dropped off the radar over that last couple of years, but it is a very smooth performer, and seems to excel on the older Sheffielders

Is there a difference between the Dovo red paste that comes in bars (paired with the black one) and the Dovo red paste in tubes ?

I honestly don't know for sure...

My understanding was the abrasives were the same just the carrier was different..
That is something you might want to ask directly of Dovo and please post if you find out for sure ....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

That is something you might want to ask directly of Dovo and please post if you find out for sure ....

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I just sent them an email. Let's see when/if I get an answer !

That was quick! I had an email from Dovo waiting for me this morning: basically they're saying that both red dovo paste's (so the tube ánd the bar) have the same abrassive qualities. Furthermore they sent me a document with some information on the pastes they sell. Here goes:


"
PASTE FOR STROPS FOR CUT THROAT RAZORS


1. YELLOW/WHITE (# 504171)

Should be worked into the leather of the strop with the palm of your hand with slight pressure. It is very important that all strops are treated with the paste to keep it smooth and to avoid the drying out of the leather which would result in cracks and damaged cut throat razors.

2. GREY (# 504111)

This paste is for the hemp/canvas on the back of some of the strops. If the cut throat razor blade is prepared for the leather stropping on the hemp/canvas, the grey paste should be worked into that material in the same way the yellow/white paste is worked into the leather.

3. BLACK (# 501000, together with RED)

For a very fine sharpening effect. For trained users only, requires a separate strop then the one for everyday stropping. Should be applied with a cotton cloth.

4. RED (# 501000, together with BLACK; or 504031)

For medium-fine sharpening effect. For trained users only, requires a separate strop then the one for everyday stropping. Should be applied with a cotton cloth.

5. GREEN (# 504041)

For strong sharpening effect. For trained users only, requires a separate strop then the one for everyday stropping. Should be applied with a cotton cloth. "

Hi decraew

I use the green, red and black along with a diamond paste and a cheap Norton bench stone to do most of my honing. As has been said before you paste anything you will need an additional strop for everyday. For you your progression would be from RED to Black. The amount of time it takes to bring back an edge will vary from razor to razor and by how bad you let a razor get before going to the paste.

I did a thread a while back that went over how I use my paste here http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ugh-guide.html

Ah, hadn't seen that thread before, interesting!

A question, as a paste connaisseur, have you come across the green Puma paste ? It is sold in small bars (like the Dovo Red + Black) and the French (the guys on the Coupe Chou Club) seem to swear by it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by decraew

Ah, hadn't seen that thread before, interesting!

A question, as a paste connaisseur, have you come across the green Puma paste ? It is sold in small bars (like the Dovo Red + Black) and the French (the guys on the Coupe Chou Club) seem to swear by it.

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Sorry can't say that I have. Though after looking around a little I found this about it:

Puma Extra-Fein No 3 Strop Dressing Bar

These small bars weigh about 8gms without any packaging and contain chromium oxide in a waxy carrier. They are recommended by Puma for refining a cutting edge. The bar is made by Puma in Germany and is designated as No. 3, Extra-Fine.

So my guess would be that it is very similar to most of the spray and powder chromium oxide that you see talked about here on SRP which for many people on her is the gold standard to get a nice smooth edge. (I think that bar would make getting it on a strop very easy with far less waste then the spray or powder.) I have used chromium oxide powder in both .3 and .5 microns and it does give a very nice edge. I just keep on going back to the dovo black paste as my finisher though. Though if I can find a us supplier I may have to pick up some this puma to give it a go.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stadler09

Hello All,

I'm a newbie at straight razor shaving. I recently picked up one of the classic sharpening sets at classicshaving.com ( Classic Straight Razor Sharpening Set). I am wondering about the paste. I'm unsure whether or not to paste both sides of the paddle strop or to leave it unpasted. So far, I've just left the raw leather as it is on both sides and have been stropping with that. One side is a light tan in color and a bit smoother than the other black side, which has a felt-like feel. I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between the sides but should I be pasting both sides? I've noticed the edge on the razor getting a bit duller than it used to be, which was expected. However, I imagine that by using the paste, I'll be able to maintain the sharper edge for longer. Anyone have suggestions on a good stropping setup that I should be using?

Many Thanks!
Craig

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Since you have a Norton 4k/8k hone in this kit
you may never want the red paste which I find
too scratchy.

I would call the folk at Classic and ask
what they recommend. Me I would leave the
smooth side of the paddle strop clear and clean.
I would apply a light bit of the black paste to
the opposite side only.

I happen to like the Dovo black. I like the
draw it gives to leather so sure go ahead and use
it on the front side if you like the feel of it
on the back. Just use a little at a time.

Strop paste on leather is forgiving. The coarser
bits of the red will push down into the leather
and scratch less and less over time.

You can move to red (coarse) after black (polish) but not
the reverse which is why I started with black on
the reverse to test.

A little goes a long way.

The two sugar cube size bits should last
a long time. Perhaps as much as ten years
bit by bit so apply a little at a time...

Wipe the spine to remove any
transfer from red to black to strop...
a little is OK.... not to worry...

OK, I am not at all a very knowledgeable honer or stropper, so I took some notes. Subject to your guys' correction. Like always with my notes, I am not completely sure where I got some of this, or how accurate it is.

Not sure where I wrote this from (??? for instance, from where did I get TI paste is Aluminum Oxide??!!) or how accurate (??) but my notes are like this below, in order of pastes and what I'd read they might work best on and/or what I literally have them on if I have them (it's a mixture of notes I wrote to sequence these pastes out in order, and of course what I do, then, partially, having followed some of it.)

6 Micron - GREEN - (Chrom Oxide) - BALSA WOOD
2-4 Micron - RED Dovo - (Iron Oxide) - Rough/Suede leather
2 Micron - TI Paste (Aluminum Oxide) - Rough/Suede leather
1 Micron - BLACK DOVO - (Graphite)- Rough/Suede leather
1 Micron - Diamond Spray - FELT
.5 Micron - Diamond Spray - FELT

UNTREATED - Plain Smooth Leather

Pesonally so far, I really like the Dovo Red and Black Esp the Black but what I find most strange, is that you can buy little tubes of DOVO

DOVO WHITE= LINEN paste
DOVO YELLOW = STROP CONDITIONER
DOVO GREEN
DOVO RED

but to get DOVO BLACK, I only ever see it in the two little stick sold with DOVO RED ???????

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RazeWiska

OK, I am not at all a very knowledgeable honer or stropper, so I took some notes. Subject to your guys' correction. Like always with my notes, I am not completely sure where I got some of this, or how accurate it is.

Not sure where I wrote this from (??? for instance, from where did I get TI paste is Aluminum Oxide??!!) or how accurate (??) but my notes are like this below, in order of pastes and what I'd read they might work best on and/or what I literally have them on if I have them (it's a mixture of notes I wrote to sequence these pastes out in order, and of course what I do, then, partially, having followed some of it.)

6 Micron - GREEN - (Chrom Oxide) ((not sure if this is actually chrom ox) - BALSA WOOD Works better with Rough/Suede leather
2-4 Micron - RED Dovo - (Iron Oxide) - Rough/Suede leather
2 Micron - TI Paste (Aluminum Oxide) - Rough/Suede leather
1 Micron - BLACK DOVO - (Graphite)- Rough/Suede leather
1 Micron - Diamond Spray - FELT
.5 Micron - Diamond Spray - FELT
.5 Micron (Chrom OX) powder- Balsa
.1 Micron (Ferrous Oxide) powder- Balsa

Untreated- Canvas, Pressed Wool, Linen, Denim
UNTREATED - Plain Smooth Leather

Pesonally so far, I really like the Dovo Red and Black Esp the Black but what I find most strange, is that you can buy little tubes of DOVO

DOVO WHITE= LINEN paste
DOVO YELLOW = STROP CONDITIONER
DOVO GREEN
DOVO RED

but to get DOVO BLACK, I only ever see it in the two little stick sold with DOVO RED ???????

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Hey RazaWiska

For the most part your list did seem to be right on I add a few things to it for you. As to the DOVO I find that the little bricks are a far better deal then the tubes.

One thing to keep in mind with pastes, just like hones the grit ratings and cutting abilities do not really work when comparing different brands....

Dovo pastes are rather soft cutters and they are also variable grit pastes ie:

Black = 1-3 microns
Red = 3-5 microns
Green = 5-8 microns

I have never heard anything about Dovo Green being CrOx or Red being FeOx or the Black being Graphite they might very well be, but I think we also might be assuming a few things because of colors and the compounds we relate to them... I do know that I have had very good results with them in the past using them on leather and on Sheffield razors regardless of any facts :rofl2:

All really good points Glenn. Your numbers for the paste are different then what I had found before:

Black: 1-2
Red: 3-4
Green: 5-6

But like you said regardless I have found them to work great on the Sheffield's and on American steel. The other thing to remember is the more you use the paste the finer the particles will become.

As to what exactly the Dovo compounds are I shot a email to Dovo to see if they will divulge the information.

So, got some 3" inch webbing and planning to make a double cotton strop (4 cotton sides) and call it my pasted strop.. and use only for when i need to use pastes..
so my thinking is to make it one side dovo red, one side dovo black, and the other side, one side 0.5 CrOx pasted, and last one dovo while (linen) paste....

as far as I understand, the progression of pastes would be: red -> black -> 0.5 crox -> white

2 questions...

1. do you think this idea would work better on a double 100% linen firehose then put red/black on one piece of hose and .5 crox /white paste on the other?
(Not sure where did I read that pastes work better on cotton than many other material, but want to hear your opinions.
the second question would be ...)

2. I imagine that after finishing honing from a SS Naniwa 12k, you do not need to go thru red/black.. just need to go to the CrOx and then white... and then regular cotton or linen without paste and then leather? just trying to imagine which kind of stone grit would be each one of these pastes? I see that GRIT SIZE VERSUS MICRON SIZE | Make Your Knives Dangerously Sharp has a table but this is for american ,,, is it the same for Japanese standard?

thanks!

Gabe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gabrielcr78

So, got some 3" inch webbing and planning to make a double cotton strop (4 cotton sides) and call it my pasted strop.. and use only for when i need to use pastes..
so my thinking is to make it one side dovo red, one side dovo black, and the other side, one side 0.5 CrOx pasted, and last one dovo while (linen) paste....snip...
Gabe

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I had not thought about doing that. A great idea, fastened onto a long block? Similar to the Lipshaw Mictrotome strop?
lipshaw-microtome-strop-refurbished
~Richard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geezer

I had not thought about doing that. A great idea, fastened onto a long block? Similar to the Lipshaw Mictrotome strop?
lipshaw-microtome-strop-refurbished
~Richard

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wel.. i was thinking on doing it just a hanging... what do you think?