Question about pastes

[Sluggo]

I am making my own strop here

On one side of leather I am going to apply a paste. I was leaning towards Dovo white, but I have read it can only be applied to linen or cotton.

So what should I apply? CrOx?

I am also going to make a balsa strop (I had a nice piece of poplar saved for this) and I know I was going to use CrOx for that.

So what do yall think?

[Slartibartfast]

Dovo white is only for your linen side.

I would personally do CrO.

[Yonjuro]

good question, I was wondering this myself.

I bought white and red. But my vintage horse strop has an embossed surface on the rear and smooth on the front.

I suppose the white was a waste of money for now? Should I apply the red to the embossed surface and keep the smooth horse paste free??

[azmark]

Remember Dovo white is only a polish with no real abrasive properties.

If you apply crox, us a liquid and look for the purity of it.

[kenrup]

Chorm Ox is one of the most popular abrasives you can add to a rough side or on a paddle strop. 0.5µ diamond paste is also excellent. On antique strops the linen/canvas strop was often treated with red paste.

[professorchaos]

I prefer diamond to crox. While it is easier to over do it with diamond pastes, when properly used they create a smooth and sharp edge.

[The Badger Rider]

I just received a Balsa block with CrOx. I decided to fine tune my Dovo a bit with a few strokes on the block and it worked like magic! I did the hair test and it split a hair down the middle long-ways. Can't wait to shave with it now!

[azmark]

, when properly used they create a smooth and sharp edge.

Oh man there is smooth sharp and skin peeling sharp.....I have experience in the latter.