Streich-Riemen Loom Strop

Just got one of these from Em's Place, although this picture is from The Shaving Shop. It's listed at several on-line shops but Em's Place had the best price for an in-stock item.

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I must say it has worked wonders on one razor I honed myself (I am just learning this). I could not seem to get that razor to shave smoothly until I used the CrOx side of this strop, followed by the plain horse-hide (?) side. The razor immediately shaved like a dream. I used only ten laps on the CrOx. I had already tried CrOx on a hanging strop and diamond pastes on both a paddle strop and a hanging strop but they didn't get the job done like this one.

Now it's possible that the razor needed *lots* of paste-stropping and I just hadn't given it enough until I added in the stropping with this guy.

EDIT: Don't know if it is really horse hide. It is claimed to be "Russian" but I don't know if that truly implies horse hide.

Looks neat!
I'll have to check this out.
Thanks for the tip.

Its cow hide, but Russian refers to the tanning process. I have one just like it, some generic maker makes them and sells them for Dovo and several other company names. Mine works well, but I use it primarily for travel, but for a beginner its a real nice strop IMO. Plus, you are less likely to damage your blade like some unexperienced stroppers do starting out.

treydampier said:

Its cow hide, but Russian refers to the tanning process. I have one just like it, some generic maker makes them and sells them for Dovo and several other company names. Mine works well, but I use it primarily for travel, but for a beginner its a real nice strop IMO. Plus, you are less likely to damage your blade like some unexperienced stroppers do starting out.

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Here is one quote that makes me think it may be horse-hide, from the Amazon listing (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LYAPNQ...asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B001LYAPNQ):

Product Description
This Dovo handheld strop is ideal for professional or personal use, and makes a fine substitute for a hanging strop when travelling. Available in both Russian leather and Cowhide.

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(my emphasis)

Robert,

I have used one of these strops for the past year, and have found it very good.

Its a tad on the small side though !

Have fun !

best regards

Russ

How easy is it to get to the adjusting nut?

I have read that ideally you have to loosen the loom between uses.

huracan said:

How easy is it to get to the adjusting nut?

I have read that ideally you have to loosen the loom between uses.

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You turn the handle to adjust -- very easy. I simply loosen it between uses to prevent slow stretching of the leather, or any other long-term stress-type problems.

To use it I just tighten it to what seems to be the "obvious" point where things are taut but not overly so.

Wow, that pasted side sure is bright green. That seems to defy conventional wisdom that you don't want much CrOx on your pasted strop. Is the CrOx thick on that puppy?

jkh said:

Wow, that pasted side sure is bright green. That seems to defy conventional wisdom that you don't want much CrOx on your pasted strop. Is the CrOx thick on that puppy?

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It doesn't seem thick other than the bright color. Perhaps they have some technique of applying it wet that dries to a uniform layer. It certainly is "full coverage".

Robert Paulsen said:

I must say it has worked wonders on one razor I honed myself (I am just learning this). I could not seem to get that razor to shave smoothly until I used the CrOx side of this strop, followed by the plain horse-hide (?) side. The razor immediately shaved like a dream. I used only ten laps on the CrOx. I had already tried CrOx on a hanging strop and diamond pastes on both a paddle strop and a hanging strop but they didn't get the job done like this one.

Now it's possible that the razor needed *lots* of paste-stropping and I just hadn't given it enough until I added in the stropping with this guy.

Click to expand...

The reason for your observation is that the paste on that is not CrO, but Dovo Green paste, which is much coarser.

As you admitted, you are just learning to hone. Odds are, the razor was not yet sharp enough, and CrO will not take you there. The Dovo green paste, though, is designed for dull razors.

RayG said:

The reason for your observation is that the paste on that is not CrO, but Dovo Green paste, which is much coarser.

As you admitted, you are just learning to hone. Odds are, the razor was not yet sharp enough, and CrO will not take you there. The Dovo green paste, though, is designed for dull razors.

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Ahh! Thanks for the lesson! That would explain the dramatic difference. Perhaps I should have spent more time on the 8K Naniwa?

Any idea about the approximate grit equivalence? Would it make sense to follow up with a finer paste -- perhaps actual CrO? Or Diamond .5 or .25?

Well, the shaving shop says that its CrO on their strops by that manufacturer, Ems place doesnt say. I'd email them to be certain, thats a pretty big deal. Dovo green is listed as 5-8 micron, so its really coarse, and would pretty much make the green side of your strop useless unless dealing with a very, very dull razor.

Pete_T said:

Well, the shaving shop says that its CrO on their strops by that manufacturer, Ems place doesnt say. I'd email them to be certain, thats a pretty big deal. Dovo green is listed as 5-8 micron, so its really coarse, and would pretty much make the green side of your strop useless unless dealing with a very, very dull razor.

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Yeah, I've been looking around and it is unclear.

Classic shaving (among one or two others) says CrO. One place sells the same strop with the option of green or red Dovo paste, and it is a Dovo strop. Or maybe Dovo just sells a re-branded product that others also sell and perhaps put on a different paste. If it is 5-8 micron, I'm surprised that the razors I used it on shave as well as they do -- which is, admittedly, not as well as they did coming from Revisor and RasurPur. As I said, I'm still learning!

Actually, I think Em's place makes it pretty clear. I never bothered to check the website, but here is what it says:

A) Russian Leather and green paste loom style adjustable strop. Natural leather on one side and green paste on the other for sharpening a dull edge. Turn handle to adjust the belt tension. 1 1/2" wide by 7 3/4 long usable surface on each side.

Select Style and Price
Russian Leather and Green Paste $49.95
Russian Leather and Red Paste $48.50
Russian Leather and Stone $49.95

The site also sells the paste in tubes and here is the info for the green paste:

Green band tube - A course particle paste for use on a very dull edge.
Green Band - Coarse particle

jkh said:

Actually, I think Em's place makes it pretty clear. I never bothered to check the website, but here is what it says:

A) Russian Leather and green paste loom style adjustable strop. Natural leather on one side and green paste on the other for sharpening a dull edge. Turn handle to adjust the belt tension. 1 1/2" wide by 7 3/4 long usable surface on each side.

Select Style and Price
Russian Leather and Green Paste $49.95
Russian Leather and Red Paste $48.50
Russian Leather and Stone $49.95

The site also sells the paste in tubes and here is the info for the green paste:

Green band tube - A course particle paste for use on a very dull edge.
Green Band - Coarse particle

Click to expand...

Yup, I just noticed that. So, my blade must have been very poorly honed for that to have been such a big help! And now I guess I have proven that you can shave off of something coarser than a 12K finishing hone. Not a bad shave either. Time to practice more honing.

I did get to Em's place after researching that strop elsewhere -- where it was described as CrO paste -- and as I said in my original post, Em's happened to have the best price so I ordered it there without really examining too closely.

It's still a good pasting strop - I would put some diamond paste on the other side. You could also use CrO, but be sure to mark which side is which!