Thread: I'm making a booboo somewhere...

So I have one of Tony's kits. I've been shaving with it for a while, and have
managed to not mangle myself so much that I need a new drivers license photo.

But I think I am doing somethign wrong in the strop.

I noticed that the razor just didn't seem sharp, even after 30 or strokes linen,
and 30 short (I've nicked my strop on the leather side a good 12 dozen times at each end) strokes on the leather, and it's sharp, but it's not SHARP...

So, I figure after all my experimentation, it probably needs a little touch up honing. I grabbed my 4 sided Tony-hone, with the surface that I have no idea what's on there, looks plain to me, the 2, 1, and .5. In the interested of not screwing things up much, I only use the .5 side, make several passes,
check the edge, and dang! Feels pretty good.

Head back into the bathroom with a smile on my face, a spring in my step, grab my strop, 30 strokes linen, 30 (short again) leather, and the edge, well, it's gotten up and walked away and is living on somebody else's razor.

SO I get out the Lynn video again, (downloaded from this site I think), watch him strop, and yeah, it looks like I'm holding it horizontal, and getting some sag
in the strop similar to what I see, in short, nothing hugely obvious is jumping out.

I suppose I could be pushing down too hard. In fact, I note that the razor usually feels pretty good after the linen side of the strop, but seems to lose something after the leaher side.

Suggestions?

Many thanks.

Could be overhoned. I'd try a full refresher on the pastes doing about 20 laps on each. Maybe 30 on the 2µ.

When daily stropping, hold the strop taut and go for as little sag as possible.

X

Go down in grit on Tony's strop to say 1 m, then .5 and then strop using NO sag in the strop at all. Maybe 5 strokes on each.

NO Sag at all. 10 strokes. See if thats an improvement. Post again.

I'm guessing overhoned as well. One does not need to start on the 3.0 side unless the razor is quite dull. The 1.0 and 0.5 are more than enough to keep the razor going with the 3.0 as a last resort before the Norton. For most people the 0.5 alone will do 90% of your work.


As for what paste is where most paddles made in the last year will have small numbers, specifying the grit stamped into the leather just above the handle...3, 1, .5, etc.... On the newest ones I put 3.0, 1.0 and 0.5 to make it more clear. Failing that, on a combo paddle, 3 pasted, one red latigo lay the strop flat on a table handle towards you red surface down on the table, the vertical surface to the left is 3.0, 1.0 is on top, 0.5 is the vertical side on the right going clockwise.

On the hanging strop use no sag, minimal pressure so as not to round the edge.
Proper prep makes a HUGE difference as well.

I'm not saying every strop is perfect but you can strop on a sheet of newspaper and get a sharp edge so maybe it is more technique than tools here. A nice strop just makes it easier.


Hope this helps,
Tony

Remember that a plain leather strop or linen does not sharpen a razor it only dresses the edge. If the razor is dull you need to give it more aggressive attention either with a pasted strop or a hone. If you really don't know what your doing get yourself a cheapie razor and strop and practice with that until you have mastered the technique or else you'll ruin one of tony's masterpieces and possibly damage you razor requiring major honing.

You know that old saying about remembering to drain the swamp before your up to your a** in alligators. Don't wait for the reptiles to show up.

I'm sorry. I only used the .5 side of the paddle strop, I didn't work my way through all the numbers. It was maybe 10-15 strokes or so on the .5, and it felt good.

I will try less pressure on the leather strop, I may be pushing it harder than I think I am.

I was being extra vigilant today, and I think as well, on the pull stroke, I might be twisting my wrist a bit, and putting pressure on the edge that shouldn't be there. Kind of twisting the edge down into the leather. For whatever reason, I dont' seem to do it on the linen side, maybe because it's stiffer.

I will check carefully. What do I use the 4th side of my strop with no paste for? Is that leather on there that I can use like the hanging strop?

I also have one of Tony's four-siders too. If yours has a fourth, dark red colored side, then yes it can be used just like a hanging strop. but Tony makes 4 siders that dont include this Latigo side as well...so it depends.

Yes, an unpasted side is provided for you to strop with. As a newbie you should use that as it is much easier to learn on. Additionally, remember that the razor should be cleaned of grit before stropping or shaving.