Thread: thoughts on this strop - Jemico

i've been looking for a four sided paddle strop to touch up my razors without getting a 8k or 12k stone or a barber's hone. i figured i would get one for four sides of leather then apply different pastes and CrO or FeO.

Product Description
The 4-sided paddle is 13 1/2" overall with 8 1/4" sharpening surfaces that are 1 1/4" wide on each side. Numbered for easy use, start with the coarse side-black Arkansas stone, then the #2 red polishing strop, the #3 black buffing strop on the third side follows, and finish with #4 on the fourth regular strop side with Russian leather. #4 is also a great strop for everyday use.

the material on each side seem like they would complement each other very well in bringing together a fine edge on a razor.

Amazon.com: Jemico Four-Sided Razor Strop Paddle: Sports & Outdoors

i was also thinking about making a four sided strop using felt and leather. then applying pastes to that.
let me know what you all think.

Probably most would keep one side with plain leather untreated and then use CrO on one side and maybe .5 diamond on another and possibly .25 diamond on the other. I don't see any advantage to FeO. it's jewelers rouge made for polishing gold and silver really. The strop itself is fine.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Probably most would keep one side with plain leather untreated and then use CrO on one side and maybe .5 diamond on another and possibly .25 diamond on the other. I don't see any advantage to FeO. it's jewelers rouge made for polishing gold and silver really. The strop itself is fine.

thanks for the input. i'm just a little skeptical since it's not really a known brand in the wet shaving world.
do you think these surfaces with the pastes and CrO would be able to touch up an edge pretty well? as in being a good substitute for a 8k or 12k stone.

Jemico is a well known name in strops. As I recall the same as Dovo.

The pastes are for touchup and not much else. The 8K is way lower that either the diamond or CrO as is the 12K. Your talking in the 50K category. The CrO will leave a smoother edge than the diamond will. You also have the option of going to a coarser diamond.

oh okay. so would this strop be good for touching up a razor?
also, the jemico strop has a stone on one side of it? would stropping on the stone be the same as on leather or would it be more of a honing motion?

or would this Thiers Issard strop be more practical and just applying different pastes to each surface?
Vintage Blades LLC::Razor Strops::Thiers-Issard 4-Sided Paddle Strop

sorry for asking so many questions; this is the last one i promise!
is there a better route to go economically and practicality to keep a razor in a tip top shaving state for a good amount of time? such as getting a high grit hone or a barber's hone?

if anyone can provide any feedback on any of the questions, that would be greatly appreciated! thank you!

It's a matter of what the stone is and the grit. Personally, if I need to use a stone I'm not going to use a sliver of stone on a strop I'll use a real hone or barber's hone. Yes with the proper pastes it will touch up a razor as long as you don't let it get too far out of whack. The pastes you use will determine it's usefulness. I've heard of guys using pastes like 5 and 10 micron diamond and they claim to be able to do restores but I think that's kind of out there.

In the end it's your choice. Some guys love pastes, some don't. Some use only one or the other and some use both. There is no one correct way to maintain a razor. Pastes are probably easier but eventually you will need a hone.

All roads lead to Rome.