Thread: Blade Refreshing

So, a razor is maintained with a linen and leather strop, and the edge touched up with a high grit stone when more keenness is needed.

A pasted strop can do both but, a pasted strop is an abrasive strop and if the stropping skill is not mastered, one can easily do more damage than good, as said. Stropping can take time to master, but once mastered one can maintain a razor for a very long time on just linen and leather. Diamond and Chrome Oxide are on opposite ends of the spectrum, Diamonds for keenness, Chrome Oxide for comfort and any number of other pastes in between.

It is absolutely normal for a new shaver to damage the edge when first learning to strop, and to have it refreshed 2-3 times, before they get to the point where they are doing more good than damage maintaining a razor.

Yes, a 12k Super Stone is an excellent choice, lifetime purchase and will easily refresh a razor, a simple chrome oxide strop will make it more comfortable and add a bit of keenness and a good linen/ leather stropping daily, will maintain the edge. Really unless you get into collecting and restoration, the three are all you need.

The largest factor in learning to shave and maintain a razor is one on one coaching, this will dramatically reduce you learning curve. You can watch all the videos and read all the posts, but nothing can replace someone looking over your shoulder, making small corrections to your technique.

Maintaining a straight razor is not rocket science, neither is it as easy as watching a video. It’s somewhere in between.

A year after you think you have mastered stropping, your edges will improve dramatically.