Thread: Dovo 3inch

I have a dovo cow hide and my understanding is its a single sided strop meant to be used lite colour side only, but I'm finding it having very little afect on the blade but the black side (I'm told)is not for use has a very positive afect on the blade and a very heavy draw is this really a one sided strop or is the black leather meant for use ?

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Pictures , but it sounds like you don't know which side is the right side. The smooth side is for stropping. Tc

Yes I know which side just asking if the other side can be used as I seem to get better results using the rough (black) side first then finish on the smooth side. It may be my honing is not up to scratch. I can just about get a hanging hair test of the hone but after stropping on the rough side it pops them with ease, same is not true if I only strop with smooth side. And yes I get much smoother shaves when it's passing the hanging hair test.

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Originally Posted by gavinshiels

I can just about get a hanging hair test of the hone...

"Just about" doesn't sound very confident! HHT should be passed easily off the hone. Have you ever had your razor sharpened by a pro? It really shows what to strive for when learning to hone. I thought I knew sharp, but I know now that I still have many years of honing practice ahead.

If it is working for you…

Stropping, especially when new to it, is really more about technique than the quality of the leather or substrate.

It can take a while to perfect the technique, mostly pressure, to the point where you are consistently improving an edge. It is very easy to damage an edge with just a single stroke, negating hundreds of perfect ones.

The best advice is to go slow, not use a lot of pressure and pay attention. Don’t get caught up in hair test, the shave is all that counts.