Trying to start...Does this remaining ebay mistake also need to be corrected? (Strop)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...6100&rd=1&rd=1

I ended up with a Zeepk due to being stupid and/or uneducated.
Basically I found this and another forum after wonder why the heck that butterknife would take my beard off on my first straight edge experience. Turns out not only was I lacking a strop altogether, but even if I had one that razor wouldn't make the grade.

I am waiting on my Thiers-Issard(sp?) Carbon Steel, and have just ordered two Filarmonica doble temple, a 3/8 and 7/8, so I think I at least have quality blades to start out with and try. Got the Norton 4000/8000 as well, I want to get the whole "experience" of learning SE shaving, including honing my own blades at first.

The strop, though.
What about it? Is this another loss, or will this suffice?

Mr. Barence is a reputable seller and having one side of a paddle treated with chromium oxide will give your shave-ready edge an extra polish and will be great for touchups every 10 shaves or so. However, you need to get a real hanging strop as well or you'll be doing 100 laps on that dinky little thing every morning instead of doing 30. My recommendation is Tony Miller at www.thewellshavedgentleman.com.

I've got one of those myself. It's a good little travel strop, but it's really too small for daily stropping duties.

Don't feel bad. You're not the only one this happened to. I bought a paki and tried to shave with it for days, tried to hone a razor on my 400 grit diamond stone.

Bought one of those "Buy a strop get a razor free deal". Sent a razor to Lynn to get it honed only to have him return it to me saying the steel in the razor wasn't good enough to hone.

I think I spent about $150 before I realized for 50 bucks or so here, you get a good razor and an education on how to spend you next paycheck and the paycheck after that.

If you did not already, Buy a razor from one of the guys here, Tony Miller sells a good paddle strop which should last you until you make up your mind if the straight razor thing is for you.

If so, Don't be supprized if you have beautiful razors, brushes, and wonderful shaving products, but always remember the mortgage has to paid.

don't worry Vince to much the "little woman" will remind you of that.:roflmao

My point was missed, so I'll re-iterate it. This paddle strop should be ok for putting a final polish on the edge (after Norton8k) and touching up every 5-15 shaves (about 10 strokes worth). What's needed is a hanging strop and Tony's the master of those.

I went and got the 3" strop from twsg.
I believe everything I need is finally coming, including razors that will actually cut through hair.
Gonna be fun, thanks.
Like many I'm sure, wish I found you guys sooner.
(edit: hopefully bought myself another razor from the Trade forum)

Hey man, dont worry about it. I made the same mistakes you did, i actually got a ZeePK too. Except I also got a strop from them. I got a Dovo a couple weeks later, but I was still using that same strop...bad idea, it actually made the blade worse on my shave ready Dovo. To solve the problem I went and bought a 4 sided paddle from Tony and I love it. So dont worry too much about the early mistakes, just move forward in the right direction. and it sounds like you're doin that so good luck!

One thing I curious about, how were you mounting the lapping paper/film?

Was it on a glass substrate? or another surface?

Granite since machine-flattened granite tiles were $5.99 at HD and they looked pimp. I'd get the tile wet, the paper wet and place the paper on top of the tile. The suction did the rest.

I wouldn't trash the trashy razor. Use it to practice the basic honing routines and stropping routines so you don't ruin the edge on your quality blades. When you have the moves down pat then switch to your good stuff.