Thread: Pasting a SRD strop

Hey guys, I just got into straight shaving and I picked up a new SRD 3" latigo strop. As usual it has a canvas/cloth side.

I was wondering, can I paste one side of the canvas strop, for occasional touch up use, but still be able to use the other, non pasted side of the canvas for my usual pre leather stropping? I would be using CrOx too. I don't have the money right now to invest in another strop soley for a paste.

You should be able to without it bleeding through. You can pick up some balsa wood in a hobby shop and put crox on that, it's only a few dollars, or even use newspaper. I'd hate to see you paste a nice new strop, especially your main daily use strop, but again you should be fine on the one side. I never actually done that myself, but I know that the linen/canvas components are thick.

I don't know if you have Tandy leather in Oz, but they have strips of cowhide belt leather that can be used to make a cheap paddle strop. Like this:
Tandy Leather Factory - Natural Cowhide Leather Strips

I wasn't aware that I could just get a flat piece of balsa, and paste that. Great idea actually, I'll probably do just that as balsa is relatively cheap where I am. Hopefully the surface is flat enough.

Get a nice thick piece of Balsa, it doesn't have to be perfectly flat because it has give to it. Find an old piece of wood to glue it to, like a flat bed hone. Check this: http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...e-project.html

Okay sweet! That will do just the trick, and if I nick it, I won't shed any tears. Fantastic, thanks guys, I don't know how a beginner would survive without this forum!

looking at doing that myself, i was sent some crox with a razor, but it seems more a powder than a paste, and is also quite lumpy. How do you apply it? can you mix it with water or something to turn it back to paste? also how often do you re-apply paste to strop? thanks

If its in a powder form and you are applying to balsa I like to use rubbing alcohol to make it Into a paste. Then apply it. The rubbing alcohol will evaporate quicker then water or oil.

Now if you apply it to leather I like to use oil cause it will also condition the leather.

thanks Castel33, used to see balsa in every second shop when i was young, do you think i could find any today?

Originally Posted by Grazor

thanks Castel33, used to see balsa in every second shop when i was young, do you think i could find any today?

Hobby shops would certainly carry balsa wood in a variety of sizes and thicknesses (and they'd probably have recommendations about which adhesive to use between the balsa wood and the base).

there isn't even one of them in our town anymore. kids have gone from making model airplanes to flying the latest fighter jet on the play station.