Dovo 18535001 Calfhide and Linen Strop D-Ring Handle Made in Solingen Germany

Description

Dovo Calfhide & Linen Strop

The Dovo calfhide strop with linen (18535001) has a 1.75×11.75″ effective area of extra-fine calfhide, a stitched endcap with D-ring handle, and a linen rear preparation surface.   This is a webbed cotton type of linen preparation side, so perhaps consider adding a linen-only strop if you wish to keep the razor sharp through sharpening pastes.

White Finely-Webbed Cotton Prep Side

Dovo’s current offering for the linen preparation surface is a bright white herringbone style cotton, which takes very well to the Dovo white paste, but which does not come pre-conditioned with this as they used to do with flax type linen.  Try it as-is, and you feel it will get “pill-y”, go for the Dovo white paste.

Better, Softer Hides

The Dovo 185 is notably “above” the Herold 185 equivalent; it makes an audibly higher-pitched noise when stropping.  I believe (within the split-side calfhides realm) higher pitch + equal speed = breaks in edge metal best aligned the max distance from spine.

Superior Hide Quality, Yes, But Permanently Stitched…Be Careful

Dovo’s velvety velour is the envy of more common strops.  Unlike modern production American strops with riveted ends, unfortunately, nothing on a Dovo can be user-replaced.  They are sewn, so if nicked, one can only sand down the problem spot and endure life with less owner’s pride.  Go slow; it ain’t a race, and the razor don’t know the difference.

These are More Pink, and More Supple

https://youtu.be/AHgVwxVOlU0

 

 

 

 

 

 

These strops were produced on behalf of Dovo by the company responsible for Herold-branded ~equivalent pieces.  But to say they were identical beyond branded embossments was and is wrong.  They are for practical purpose functionally the same.

For a connoisseur, however, the Dovo pieces were always just a little pinker and softer than the rest of the brands.  I believe “first dibs” went to Dovo, nothing more complicated.   The two firms have since parted ways and Dovo sources from another outfit.  The calfhide bearing modern Dovo production is truly second to none, the best of the best.  Whether that small difference is worth actual money is entirely up to you.

Suede Style Strops = More Feedback, Less Lifespan, Good Trade

All split-side type (suede style) leather wears more easily than top/full grain strops.  That’s not to say cost per stropping session at home’s high, as it certainly isn’t.  Expect ~3-5 years of daily use before this may show a “tread wear indicators”.   I do more stropping here in the shop (where a hyper-accelerated climate displays the durability difference in a delicacy like the Dovos versus more utilitarian leathers) than any home user and still prefer the split-side (and compressed air afterward to dislodge its dander from razor’s hollow area).  Life’s short; as said before, they’re pleasant to use, and it is your money.  You won’t dislike using them, only paying for them.

All About Stropping

Inexpensive ways to sufficiently realign a razor’s tiny edge breaks made by our beard abound.  The clean deep embers of a old junker car’s passenger seat’s seat belt is a surprisingly decent stropping plane.   The best strops 1) more effectively communicate to your fingers/ears what’s going on upon the edge, 2) are pleasing to the touch, and 3) are not an eyesore.

In the end, the seat belt and the >$100 strips of leather we pimp can get to the same place; you’ll just enjoy the ride much more here.  Isn’t the #str8rzr life as much about process as pure results?

Just Start Off with a 100% Healthy Stropping Plane

Don’t venture into str8rzr shaving without a perfect stropping surface.  Old razors can always be made functional-nicked strops frequently cannot.  Small irregularities in a stropping surface WILL negatively influence affect edge realignment capability.

Stropping Basics

Stropping’s a skill, to me the hardest of the 3 as I don’t I’ll ever ‘master’ it due motor skill limitations.  The hones and I can’t really get much more out of one another than we already have.

Start off tight

Pull your strop taut with your ‘off’ hand.   If your strop’s a top or full grain style, rub the surface with your clean palm (with suede type “split-side” strops a la Dovo/Herold I would not suggest rubbing down unless you’re awfully sure your hand’s clean).

never touch edge to leather unless spine’s touching!

Keeping SPINE in perpetual contact with the strop, gingerly place razor flat to strop, and move away from its edge along the plane.  The edge must never touch the plane unless the spine is in simultaneous contact during any motion along the plane.  Try to keep speed consistent throughout (OK to be slow).  Uniformity achieves predictably-great results.  Edges like uniform speed & pressure during the passes upon a strop or hone alike.

make the flip while avoiding endcap hardware

When the razor approaches an end of the stropping plane, flip it while keeping spine in contact with strop, and begin moving towards the other end before re-landing the edge; never remove the spine from leather during this process!

always be cognizant to keep edge-trailing motion!

One CRUCIAL point: as you flip the razor, DON’T move the spine along the strop in the direction which would allow the razor’s edge to cut into the strop once it reached the leather(aka the ‘old’ direction).

missing bits of strop ok.  asymmetrical sensations not ok.

If you mess up and dig razor’s edge into the strop, you’ll likely cut it.  Cuts can be sanded or avoided, but if it feels different to pass it in one direction than another direction it is a no-go.

never point cutting edge to strop leather!

One other risk-absentmindedly flipping the razor over upon its edge while touching the strop will require re-honing.

the how-to for the regular righties;

Here’s a description of the process for the {>90%-probability} right-handed user using a strop narrower than razor’s edge;

• Begin with heel of blade aligned with bottom right of strop, razor toe beyond strop width at bottom left
• Move razor laterally left-to-right along strop during stroke toward top of strop.  When approaching the top, razor’s toe (that’s the front) should completely contact the strop and its heel should be beyond the strop’s top right edge
• Flip the razor carefully, realign razor’s heel with top right edge, and move razor left to right during the pass back to the bottom of the strop

Most strops have a “prep” side (linen/canvas/cotton/etc) to remove superfluous stuff and ready razor edge for leather.  Strop on that stuff, exactly as you do the leather, right before using the leather.  It is not really needed, but surely keeps your strop cleaner over time.