If you are an experienced straight razor or knife sharpener/user, there is no need to tell you about the importance of stropping as it does the various functions of alignment, burr removal, even metal removal and the burnishing of metal can be achieved. Various compounds, stropping mediums and methodologies will have a fairly wide range of results, and refining your stropping activity to perfection is an interesting activity to say the least. Basic stropping is fairly simple and straightforward, but when you aim for superiour results you need to put in the time and experiment with your own blades.
I really love my hanging strops, and never really considered buying a paddle strop, but was gifted one by a fellow maker, I found this strop a joy to use when sitting at a table while honing and refining my blades, for this activity a hanging strop is not the best choice as it was designed to be used while standing. When you determine the best sharpening regime there is quite a bit of stropping involved, at times I strop in between each stone to remove the burr and feel the effect of what I have just done, and getting up every 5 minutes to strop is not productive at all, this is where a paddle strop is the perfect choice. a Paddle strop can also be a good travel companion as the solid backing will eliminate the bending/cracking of leather.
There is some innovation on these specific paddles as we have added the option of cork on one side, this was something I experimented with as a thought that popped up in my head a few years back, I later discovered that there are a few vidoes and mentions of using cork in your sharpening routine, some with impressive results and some less so. The method we employ is different from thhose as I did not experiment with pulling the edge through cork, but rather stropping on cork with the bevel flat on the sheet of cork.
We had some good results with various razors and during various stages of honing/stropping, and in certain cased it exceeded the performence of leather, that being said I do not want to disclose my findings as I want to gather data from other users, so please give us any feedback you may have over a period of use. The cork will add value to your sharpening activity, that much I will say. Do not for one second think the cork is brittle as you would find in a wine cork, this stuff is tough as nails in the flat form, I have used some in a wallet my daughter made, and it has held up amazingly. The strip on my test strop is still much the same as when I started, it does not seem to discolour with very fine metal particles and debris like leather.
We are offering the paddles in 4 models; a wide, 75 mm Kiaat paddle with the option of 2 leather sides and also the option of one leather side with one cork side, The two options are also offered in a narrower, 40 mm wide version. We also stock spare leather and cork strips, so that you have the option to replace them should the need arise.
We have a few more ideas in this range, so please provide feedback to help us offer some more items just the way you like them. If you want to up your stropping game have a read here, some interesting stuff!
Each strop comes with a tub of leather balm to maintain the leather side of your strop. Our balm is all natural and will get absorbed into the leather quite rapidly, unlike most other balms that tend to sit on the leather like jelly. Apply with a tiny sponge or piece of cloth and give it around 30 minutes to drink into the fibres, afterwards rub it off/in with a clean rag. I like to run the inside of my hand over it for a bit when done, the heat and friction bring out a smoother, glossy surface. Don't be scared to pile on the power.
The coloration of the leather strops is not uniform as the balm is absorbed into the fibre of the leather, and it will do so more in some places than other on account of the skin composition and the amount of balm applied to any portion of the strop.
All our paddles have have been balmed up already to keep them suptle and soft on the shelf, there is no need for any balm dressing right away