Thread: red paste on back of strop

I bought a new/used strop off ebay and I recived it today it has red paste on the back of the leather I know nuthing about the paste what the grit is what type of paste anything should I clean it off and repaste it with something I know what it is,should I leave it and use it? Thanks all

It is probably coarse sharpening paste. Although there is no set standard, it is probably in the region of 2 - 4 microns. The green paste (Dovo) is coarser (around 4 - 6 microns), the black (Dovo) is finer (around 1 micron) and the good green chrome oxide powder is finer still (about 0.5 micron). If you use different products from Dovo the above ratings do not apply.

It is meant to sharpen a dulling edge - why not try it and see what it does for you - if you don't need it you don't have to use it, if you need something finer I would suggest chrome oxide powder, but you would have a job to clean off all the red paste - it gets embedded in the leather - do you really want to get involved in saddle-soaping and pumicing?

Regards,
Neil

thats what I thought it was I haave 3 strops 2 paddles, one hand made paddle ( I guees that would make 3 paddles) and this is the first one I have had with red paste all mine have I have pasted with green .05 micron paste

most likely 2.5 mic paste.I bought strop and has similar issue . In my case whole strop was in red paste . At first i tried to clean it up and sooner i realized it is impossible. I did bought more dovo red paste and put it on. I used to use it that and it was working pretty good. Later i changed to stones.hope this helps.

I agree its probably Dovo red, equal to around 8000 grit, used in place of stones. I think that there might have been some finer red pastes in the past, though, but I'm not certain.

I have some Dovo red, and if I use it on a razor thats splitting hanging hairs easily, it will end up giving me an edge that partially splits the hair. So you might be able to try something similar test wise-assuming you can get it honed back up if it does end up dulling your edge.

i just aquired this strop ,what do you guys think ?

Probably some red Iron oxide, as said it could well be Dovo red but there is lots of red pastes around.
Try it and see what it will do!