Thread: Wood Strops

Any smooth wood will work, Popular, Pine and even MDF will work, It is just a carrier. Paper, cardboard and cheap Foam Core work
very well also. The cheap stuff from the dollar store has more texture, that holds the paste better.

These work better than balsa, in my opinion, Nylon and Canvas even better.

3 in is plenty of width, 12-18 in length, use 4 -6 inch for knives.

Thanks guys I will let you know how it turns out now all I have to do is choice the right paste I think I will be using the chrome Ox paste. It seems that the diamond paste is a bit aggressive when it comes to stropping straight razors.

Originally Posted by Giorgio

Thanks guys I will let you know how it turns out now all I have to do is choice the right paste I think I will be using the chrome Ox paste. It seems that the diamond paste is a bit aggressive when it comes to stropping straight razors.

if your looking for high quality CrOx paste, check out GemStar Custom Razors, Glenn sells excellent 99.99% pure CrOx paste very cheap

Thanks I think I found some from Amazon.ca In the mean time just got my new leather strop which looks nice and getting ready to use my Thiers-Issard sharpening paste on the felt side of the strop.

For what it's worth, I made some wooden strops with old timber found on the side of the road.
I used wood glue to stick 4mm balsa strips on and put non-slip pads underneath.
Chromium oxide, Iron oxide and a leather strip. Very cheap and effective !!

Are those crox and feox or dovo green and red?

Originally Posted by ezpz

Are those crox and feox or dovo green and red?

Dovo green and red:

I have made 2 which suspend the thin balsa. It allows the balsa to flex a bit. By loosening one end or both, the amount of flex can be tuned. I have taken to leaving both ends loose and stropping very lightly. They work quite well.

If you are going to buy artist pigment Chrome Oxide, you might want to buy from Kremer Pigments.

Their Pigments are very uniform and have been used by many here for pasting razors for years with success, cannot say that about others on Amazon. They also have some good Iron Oxides.

When it comes to Chrome Oxide many things are advertises as so but contain little actual Chrome Oxide or are not of uniform grit size.
Just one errant grit, can ruin an edge.

It is not that expensive and an ounce or two will paste several strops, so buy the best quality (purity) and that tested for razor use, Sixgun, SRD or Kremer.

You may want to paste a piece of cardboard first and test your paste on a couple of razors first. If you paste your leather and are not happy with the paste, you will never be able to remove all of the paste once it gets into the pores of the leather.

Cardboard is a great test bed for paste.