Paste

Welcome to the Forum Gene.  The stropping paste compounds in the syringes really don’t leak or even come out of the tip without squeezing the syringe plungers down.  The pastes are pretty thick.  I wouldn’t think even with the cap off that the pastes would dry out without first drawing air up into the syringes by pulling the syringe plunger out.  Either way, the diamond grit  particles are dispersed in the paste. The consistency, thinner or thicker is of no consequence. The paste is just the means to apply the diamond grit particles to the leather’s surface.

When applying the pastes to the leather strop I usually spritz the leather strips with a light misting of isopropyl rubbing alcohol to moisten the leather. Then I apply the paste in 6 or 8 small dots of the compound paste, to both moistened strop strips, by squeezing the syringe plunger in.

Then I rub the two leather strop paddles together, flat surface to flat surface to distribute and spread the paste evenly over the two leather strips. I prefer to let my newly loaded strops dry over night before I use them.  Others will use their loaded strops right away.  It’s a personal preference thing.

I suggest you wipe the sharpened knife blade clean before using the strops.  This will help the strops stay clean. Don’t be alarmed when some paste flakes off when using the strops.  As the strops are used the diamongd grit particle become impregnated in the leather’s surface.  So the strops will continue to work even as the paste compound wears off.  You’ll get quite a few  knives stropped, before you’ll need to reload the strops with another application of the pastes.

Most importantly, always use the strops in an edge trailing, that is up and off the blade, direction.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Wayne, Brewbear, Organic

Gene, I’d suggest you just make the best of it.  A little bit lasts a really long time.  When you look to replace it, you might want to give the diamond emulsion sprays a try.  It’s a smoother feeling product to me.  Even though these sprays come with their own set of clogged sprayer difficulties.

Good luck and welcome.