Thread: Vintage paddle strop/coticule resto?

I picked up this vintage paddle strop a while ago, it has two sides that are padded leather, one side that is flat leather and one side that is a vintage coticule. I like the size of the paddle and the coticule is an excellent finishing stone, but the leather bits are just about worthless.

I wanted to ask y'all fellers if you think it's worth restoring, or if I should just leave it as is, using the paddle as a stone holder. I like the aged look and would hate to destroy a piece of history, but I could also see a well done restoration doing someone a whole lot more good than this thing would just sitting around (assuming the resto would be done correctly).

So what would you do?

I restore these frequently. I often replace the leather with new and the for the finish side I put down horsehide. They work great!

I had no idea such a thing existed. While I think it's really cool being an all in one tool, it seems a little foolish to mount a water hone so close to all that leather. I would be concern that all the water from using the hone would end up ruining the leather. Regardless, it's definitely something that should be restored.

Very nice stone! I have a somewhat similar setup (antique handmade wooden razor box, russian shell paddle strop and what looks like a blue/green Escher stone). On mine, the leather is shot as well.

Although both the coticule and Thuringians are waterstones, since both can also be used dry for polishing, my guess is that his coticule was intended on being used dry.

Chris L

No, I've used it wet, just enough water to make the difference but not even enough to get sloshed up onto the blade as I make a pass. You really don't need that much, natural stones don't soak up water so a few drops is all you need. But I also use it dry fwiw.

And the leather is actually not ruined, it works perfectly well for stropping knives that are a little more tolerant toward imperfections in the stropping surface. But for razors it's no good.

I have other stones and strops that I prefer and don't really need to have such a combination in tip top shape for my shaving needs, but I think it'd look cool and might serve someone else well down the road.

Oh, Ken, do you recreate the padded leather effect or just mount the leather flat on the paddle like the finish side?