Thread: 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!

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

+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 ....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

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

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