Thread: Do's and Don'ts

Sirs and or Madams,

I'm looking to purchase a paddle strop and was fishing for some advice. What should I look for and what should I stay away from? Any suggestions as to make, model or brand would be greatly appreciated. I'm currently using a Illinois Strop Co #361, but I have some issues with it. Anyway, if you can steer me in the right direction, I'd be much obliged.

Thanks, Don V

Are you looking for a paddle strop for traveling or home? Will you be using pastes/powders?

I'm assuming that you are looking to replace your hanging strop with a paddle strop? In that case you will need something larger, with a smooth leather side. I have the SRD modular paddle, and that works pretty well. SRD also has a non-modular paddle.

For daily stropping though, I'm really starting to prefer the hanging strop. So IMO you should look in that direction for your daily stropping needs. One way or another it will be good to solve whatever issues you are having with your Illinois and go forward from there.

I'd love some more info on the problems you are having. Is it a problem with the strop? Or is it a matter of technique? Or maybe you just aren't getting good results and you aren't sure what the problem is?

Michael

Agreed... these issues are... what?

I have both a 2" latigo hanger and a 2 sided 3" paddle. I use the paddle as both a CrOx base and after-honing strop. Functionally, the results I obtain are similar.

There are many ways to resolve stropping issues without shelling out some coin. But far be it for me to deny a brother an opportunity to get his SAD on.

No question in my mind the SRD modular paddle is the best you can get. Other paddles work but the versatility and the replacement parts can't be beat.

I agree with Jimmy I have the modular strop and it's hard to get more versatile than that, plus it comes with some diamond spray to get you started. use mine almost everyday with the hard felt and English bridle pads.

Michael, I have to be honest and say there's more of a problem with me than with the strop. The strop does have some low spots toward the top, but most of my problem is trying to maintain consistency on both strokes. I'm not sure how I'm doing it, but I seem to put pressure on the stroke away from me as opposed to the one towards me. I thought if I were to get in essence a "strop on a board", it might give me more control over angle, pressure or whatever I'm doing. What I'm noticing is, my razor seems to be sharper on one side than the other. It seems to trying to flatten out the bevel on one side more than the other. Oh, I should note, while stropping, I'm not trying to put any pressure onto the strop, it's just that I notice more drag going one way than the other and assumed that was it. I did watch a video on stropping that may help me out.
I did look into paddle strops after posting and saw that they are more for fine tune sharpening than just for before/after stropping.

I just re-read your post, I could have saved a bunch of time and cyber ink and just copied and pasted the last line you wrote!!

Thanks everyone for what I've been seeing. Don

Originally Posted by donv

Sirs and or Madams,

I'm looking to purchase a paddle strop and was fishing for some advice. What should I look for and what should I stay away from? Any suggestions as to make, model or brand would be greatly appreciated. I'm currently using a Illinois Strop Co #361, but I have some issues with it. Anyway, if you can steer me in the right direction, I'd be much obliged.

Thanks, Don V

__________________________________________________ ______

Don
Try this........ http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...ng-method.html

Jerry

Thank you Jerry. I had picked up a couple bad habits from a couple of videos. But I am going to slow down, evaluate things and hit restart.

Have a great Flag Day!!!!! Donv

Some things about your later post hit me... things I noticed about my own stropping a few times;

- My hanging strop is cupped a little. Easily corrected and it makes little difference now, but it gave me fits early on. MIGHT be an issue for you.

- If I let my mind wander off, I find I don't get good blade edge contact, especially on the return stroke. It doesn't sound the same, and it doesn't feel the same. I THOUGHT I had good contact on the return stroke, but it took some observation to fully correct that. A wandering mind also contributes to losing tension on the strop, and I find it sagging a little more than I want.

- Give this a go; lay your strop on a table. Slow your pace down and go out of your way to make blade edge contact on your return stroke. Test shave and adjust from there.

Capise?