Thread: Pasting a strop

Hi,
I have recently tried pasting a few strops I made.

I had a "closed loop" of leather with handle kind of strop, I learned not to watch Tv and strop a razor at the same time

So I am making strops of my own now, leather one side, Nubuck the other side. Works quite well. So I figured trying to paste them, DOVO red and blue paste, and chromium oxide. The red side of my original strop was solid deep red.

When pasting the strops I cant get that kind of coverage, Not even close. I do get a lot of goo on the razor, the stuff just doesn't stay put on the strop.

What am I missing?
How much paste is enough?
Any pics of how it should look?

Are you trying to use paste on leather side of the strop?
We usually put paste on linen side of the strop.

Originally Posted by Diegok

Hi,
I have recently tried pasting a few strops I made.

I had a "closed loop" of leather with handle kind of strop, I learned not to watch Tv and strop a razor at the same time

So I am making strops of my own now, leather one side, Nubuck the other side. Works quite well. So I figured trying to paste them, DOVO red and blue paste, and chromium oxide. The red side of my original strop was solid deep red.

When pasting the strops I cant get that kind of coverage, Not even close. I do get a lot of goo on the razor, the stuff just doesn't stay put on the strop.

What am I missing?
How much paste is enough?
Any pics of how it should look?

Try roughing up the smooth leather side with sandpaper before applying paste, that works much better.

Please don't do this . paste is abrasive it has sharpening ability you will basically kill your leather?
or i am missing something?

Originally Posted by Blix

Try roughing up the smooth leather side with sandpaper before applying paste, that works much better.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Please don't do this . paste is abrasive it has sharpening ability you will basically kill your leather?
or i am missing something?

He is making his own strops, for the sake of using paste, I don't see the problem really.
It's not like he is ruining a Kanayama 90000

Originally Posted by Diegok

Hi,
I have recently tried pasting a few strops I made.

I had a "closed loop" of leather with handle kind of strop, I learned not to watch Tv and strop a razor at the same time

So I am making strops of my own now, leather one side, Nubuck the other side. Works quite well. So I figured trying to paste them, DOVO red and blue paste, and chromium oxide. The red side of my original strop was solid deep red.

When pasting the strops I cant get that kind of coverage, Not even close. I do get a lot of goo on the razor, the stuff just doesn't stay put on the strop.

What am I missing?
How much paste is enough?
Any pics of how it should look?

Dovo red is rather coarse... Most red strops are not
red from the stuff in red Dovo dressing the red on leather is dye.
Dovo black (blue foil) is much less abrasive.

If you get goo on the razor you have too much on the strop.
Rub the strop with coarse paper to get the bulk of it off the strop.

Remember to wipe the razor clean when you switch
sides for the next year so you do not transfer the coarse
red bits to the finishing side. It will sort itself out bit by bit.

Dovo black seems to be old school burned straw and
strop dressing grease. Carbonized straw contains
modest amounts of silica and carbon (straw charcoal)
and makes a nice paste or just dressing component.

Since you have CrOx put the Dovo red away. CrOx
polishes better for me and does not scratch as much.

How much:

CrOx should be light apple green. Not dark
green like spinach. Over time it with get darker
as you refresh it say six times a year. If you
currently have a lot just wipe the razor well when
done so you do not transfer it to clean leather.
If I was sending someone a pasted CrOx strop
I would use a lot more than I would start with on
my own strop. Lots of thin layers can be better
than a single application.

The little sugar cube size bits of red/black Dovo
paste are about ten years worth maybe 20 years.
A little goes a long way.

BTW: I like Dovo black... a tiny bit rubbed on a strop
gives me draw that I like. I rub a small bit in with my
fingers then wipe almost all of it off with tissue.

Thank you all for your advice. I have tried the sandpaper over leather, got very good results!!!

Indeed my CrOx was very green, really really green, as you would paint a fence. Gonna try another one. One more step towards really sharp razors, shaves getting better every day.

Originally Posted by Diegok

Thank you all for your advice. I have tried the sandpaper over leather, got very good results!!!

Indeed my CrOx was very green, really really green, as you would paint a fence. Gonna try another one. One more step towards really sharp razors, shaves getting better every day.

green, really green.... just use it
The only downside is that you are going to
be working sort of in reverse. The extra will
wipe off on the razor bit by bit. At one point
the strop will be just right.

It turns out that CrOx is quite abrasive so
a little goes a long way.

Since you have it the way it is take advantage
of it. If you take a fold of sturdy paper to
wipe the blade you will see lines of CrOx on the
paper. Rotate the bit of paper and rub and polish
the blade. Keep the coarse paper away from
the sharp edge of the blade. CrOx is more of a
polish than a sharpening tool.....

It does take a while for a strop to wear in....