Thread: paste coverage - completely over surface or X pattern

No matter the substrate, it looks like some folks completely cover the surface fairly evenly with, say, CrOx, and others apply the past in a series of X's along the length of the strop and leave it that way.

What is the advantage of leaving X's ? Does it ensure less contact with the paste (less is more) ?

An advantage to using x's is it is harder to over apply. Most who completely cover it then spend some time rubbing it down to get all the excess off.

Do the X’s. If you feel you need more (you won’t), you can always add more.

You really only need a bit of paste, once on, no matter how much is applied, it will never come completely off, one application last years.
If you put on too much on, you will contaminate your other strops, plain leather and linen and now you have 3 pasted strops…

Yup, the goal is to not over apply. Also, I always wipe off any blade right after hitting the pasted strop to help reduce cross contamination from the paste that will come off onto the blade.