To Paste or not to Paste. Explain why.

**Siguy** · 09-18-2013, 03:43 PM

Hello all.

I have my first strop. A 3" Big Daddy.

I've seen opinion for and against spraying or pasting the felt side of my strop. I've heard some new str8ters have had good results in tuning up their blades with CROXd strops. I was becoming convinced that paste/spray could only help.

Please can you take a minute to weigh in pro/con and why?

Thanks all.

**Birnando** · 09-18-2013, 03:56 PM

Pasted strops can be a nice tool for keeping an edge going for a bit.
Or even used after honing to give you that added oompfh or smoothness depending on finisher used.

But from your post you say that this is your first strop.
In that case I would not recommend any paste at all.
Strop using both sides each time, and your razor should be going for quite a while.
Get a second strop for pastes or sprays.
Or a barber hone/finisher..

IMHO that is

**Siguy** · 09-18-2013, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by Birnando

In that case I would not recommend any paste at all.
Strop using both sides each time

@Birnando,

Thank you. Do you mean strop using both sides of the felt and both sides of the leather??

**Birnando** · 09-18-2013, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Siguy

@Birnando,

Thank you. Do you mean strop using both sides of the felt and both sides of the leather??

No, just the user side of each of the two.

Firstly, do about 30 or so laps on the felt.
Then do about 30-50 on the smooth side of the leather strop.

**Siguy** · 09-18-2013, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Birnando

Firstly, do about 30 or so laps on the felt.
Then do about 30-50 on the smooth side of the leather strop.

Ok. That's what I thought. I was checking in case there was some new found knowledge out there I hadn't gotten to yet.

**Prahston** · 09-18-2013, 05:29 PM

When I first started out honing I used pasted balsa and pasted felt prior to going into my standard stropping series. However, as I improved with my honing and after working with a local Mentor (Deighaingel/Gerrit) to further clean up honing techniques I found that the pasted portion was no longer noticeably beneficial. But, that is just my experience/my opinion. Now, it would be a tough call for me if I were using pastes on a razor as it would probably just be easier/more efficient to drop back into a honing series then strop/finish rather than using pastes as it would add an extra step and if pasting did not give me the results I wanted I'd be back on the hones anyway. That's my current thinking but, of course, likely to change.

I recently watched Lynn's 'Refreshing A Razor' video (linked also in Beginner's but I'll put It here as well)

**Siguy** · 09-18-2013, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Prahston

When I first started out honing I used pasted balsa and pasted felt prior to going into my standard stropping series. However, as I improved with my honing and after working with a local Mentor (Deighaingel/Gerrit) to further clean up honing techniques I found that the pasted portion was no longer noticeably beneficial. But, that is just my experience/my opinion. Now, it would be a tough call for me if I were using pastes on a razor as it would probably just be easier/more efficient to drop back into a honing series then strop/finish rather than using pastes as it would add an extra step and if pasting did not give me the results I wanted I'd be back on the hones anyway. That's my current thinking but, of course, likely to change.

I recently watched Lynn's 'Refreshing A Razor' video (linked also in Beginner's but I'll put It here as well)

... and his approach is interesting and he provides a lot of information on how/why.

Shawn
-----

**RezDog** · 09-18-2013, 07:46 PM

It is my view that pasted strops are great for bringing back an old or tired edge. I also use it to give a certain level of smoothness on a newly honed edge. I don't have it on my strop that I use daily. Mostly because I don't need it daily and it is a little bit on the messy side and gets on other stuff without using much. My fear is that putting it on one side of the felt on my daily strop and pretty soon I'd have it everywhere. The magnetic paddles look like a stroke of genius. If had known of them in the beginning I would have traveled that route.

**OCDshaver** · 09-18-2013, 08:22 PM

I have a second felt bench strop for sprays. From the posts I've read, it seems as though a few years back there was a greater enthusiasm for pastes and sprays. Maybe as people have become more graduated in their tools and techniques, pastes have become less needed for many users.

**bill3152** · 09-18-2013, 10:00 PM

Ive tried slurry dia spray cbn crox on various mediums and the best combo IMHO is crox on linen hanger. I don't know why but that works for me. I don't crox after my jnats or Escher.

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