Thread: Strop/cro-ox question/Newbie here..

Hi Guys,

Im new as new can be to straight shaving..I sent Lynn my 2 red imp Razors for honing, and he reccomended that a 3” strop may be easier for me to start with. I'm pretty well coordinated so I'm not worried about cutting it up. If been practicing on an old belt, and an old junky razor without problem..
So I bought this 3 1/8 ” XL Dovo strop, but theres no linen backing..The backside is pretty large grain stiff leather. Would I be able to use the green Cro ox crayon on this? I also have the very thin poor mans strop from whipped dog, and a 1/4 inch thick suede homemade strop that's almost the size of the Dovo, that's not fine, but pretty rough suede. Which of these would be best for the cro ox.? Im attaching pictures of the dovo, and suede...
I just hope I don't have to buy anything else...Between, the Dovo strop, razors, coticule(which wasnt necessary, but I bought anyway), im already way over my budget....And I don't mind pasting the back of the Dovo, if that's a question, I don't care if its a nice strip, I want sharp razors, I don't care what the strop looks like...

Thanks For Your Help,
Hopefully you can see the hide grain in these pics
Basil

I would use the suede. Too nice of a strop to get crox on.

Originally Posted by ItalianJoe

I would use the suede. Too nice of a strop to get crox on.

Again, my main goal is the best possible option, to keep my straights sharp. At the end of the day, its a piece of leather, I don't care what it looks like..So which of those three, is the best option for cro ox? If any of them at all...if not, I guess I'll buy something for it..

Thanks again,
Basil

In general for pasted strops either use the most basic strop you can find or consider one of the specialized materials some use for paste stropping. It makes no sense to me to take a really nice quality strop and essentially ruin it with paste.

not really a big fan of pasted hanging strops, i have i vintage robeson that was pasted long ago it is a double strop one says sharpen the other says finnish. but i do not use it. i have a paddled strop that is pasted .5 micron and 1 micron diamond that i rarely use. it is so much easier to just touch it it on a stone like a couticule or 16k/30k shapton and there is no issue of the paste rounding the edge.

If you sent your 2 Red Imps to Lynn, you shouldn't even need to think about anything beyond proper stropping for some time. If you really want to use the crox now get yourself a slab of balsa wood or use the poor man's strop. Keep that Dovo for daily stropping use.

If I had to pick one, I'd say the "poor man's strop" It was probaby the least expensive. I prefer paddles for paste. Some guys use rolled up newsprint with crox. You can pick up scrap leather at Tandy (if you have one nearby) Or, purchase their 3"w cowhide belt material. It's great for pastes. I made myself a couple of paddles. You can even pick up some balsa wood for crox at an art and crafts store like Michael's.