Thread: Noob strop question - Two strops one new and one used.

ok.. So i have read through a lot of old posts and from what i can understand, i should have two strops?

1 for stropping paste and diamond sprays
&
1 left alone (Keeping it natural with maybe a small amount of the Dovo yellow paste once every 6 months or so, or i could just palm rub it when ever i get a chance)

correct me if this is wrong..?

So at the moment i have one of the small Dovo strops, its stropping area is 45mm x 300mm. One side is leather, the other side is a white canvas. I'm not a huge fan of the strop due to the size.

On the Dovo i have used the black Dovo paste (Crayon) on it already and nothing on the white canvas side and i have only applied the paste a few times, it 'seems' to completely wipe off after using it so i don't think the paste has bedded into the leather.

I also have the red Dovo crayon\paste although i haven't used this yet.

I have ordered the "Straight Razor Designs 3" Premium I Leather Strop with the Hard Pressed Wool" and a bottle of the .5 Diamond Spray (And another razor but we wont tell the mrs about that! hehe)

Now for my question...'s (i hope there not too dumb)

Am i better off cleaning the Dovo leather and leaving all the paste off the Dovo strop (then use that for my 'clean' strop) or, should i just use the new strop for the clean strop? Will the wool be best on my new strop for the diamond spray or would the canvas on the Dovo be best?

Also i keep reading about the Dovo white canvas paste, should i have that applied on my Dovo strop or on the new wool strop... or is it not required at all? (I don't have any of the white paste yet)

From reading, it sounds like i should only use the diamond spray without the white Dovo paste.

Also with the Dovo black and red paste\crayons, can i use both of them on the one strop (If needed) or should the red only be used on a third strop?

Sorry about all the questions! I am learning... slowly!

Cheers,
Chris

Hey Brighty,

You're going to want 1 fabric strop completely unadulterated. Since you have pasted the DOVO strop already, I would leave the SRD strop as it is. The hard felt is an excellent fabric component to strop on before your leather.

Your other option is to pick up the phone, and get in contact with Lynn or Don. If they haven't shipped yet, ask them to include their poly-web fabric with your strop as well. That way you would have this set up 1) DOVO- paste 2)hardfelt - spray 3) polyweb - unadulterated 4) leather for finishing.

Hope this helps a bit.

Edit: the SRD leathers are amazing to strop on. I highly recommend that you do not add anything to their leathers....just leave it alone.

The Polyweb is a material that looks like a car seat belt. I don't know the exact make-up but at first you scratch your head about it however I have one and it works very well as a fabric strop. As to the razor on their opening page it's certainly a custom made type. I don't know if that one is real or just a mock-up but there are Livi's that are very similar.

Their webbing is a polypropylene webbing similar to a nylon should strap on a duffel bag or similar - just thinner and wider, with a tighter weave. I have one of theirs which I use for chromium oxide and it works very well in that capacity, as well as for plain stropping before leather.

Originally Posted by Maxi

That way you would have this set up

1) DOVO- paste
2)hardfelt - spray
3) polyweb - unadulterated
4) leather for finishing.

Thanks guys,

So i will make sure this is correct..

Dovo Strop for the diamond spray and the dovo paste (using both sides)
the SRD Strop with nothing on it and that would be my main strop, i guess and i wouldn't be using the wool at all? (using the single leather side)
And get the polyweb and attach it to the SRD Strop instead of the wool.

Originally Posted by Brighty83

Thanks guys,

So i will make sure this is correct..

Dovo Strop for the diamond spray and the dovo paste (using both sides)
the SRD Strop with nothing on it and that would be my main strop, i guess and i wouldn't be using the wool at all? (using the single leather side)
And get the polyweb and attach it to the SRD Strop instead of the wool.

I like the diamond spray on my hard felt. It works great. use it for sure.

Originally Posted by Brighty83

Thanks guys,

So i will make sure this is correct..

Dovo Strop for the diamond spray and the dovo paste (using both sides)
the SRD Strop with nothing on it and that would be my main strop, i guess and i wouldn't be using the wool at all? (using the single leather side)
And get the polyweb and attach it to the SRD Strop instead of the wool.

That sounds like a plan, except you would use the wool during your daily stropping. Say, 25 laps on the wool, then 50 on the leather before shaving (or more, or less, your choice). If you decide you like the feel of the wool, there's no need to get the extra webbing strop, really.

The pastes are more for occasional touch-ups when stropping no longer returns the edge to peak sharpness, or as the final steps after honing.