Itsbaker

No one can predict when you will need to refresh your blade on an abrasive surface. could be a couple of weeks could be over a year.

If I was starting over, I would have gotten a pasted paddle to start with. I would have endded up with a hanging strop and stones down the road as well but the paddle strop could have gotten me started and been of use later. As it is I am now looking at a pasted paddle, yet can't quite bring myself to get one becauseI have abunch of stones, yet I want to try that paste edge.

Alpimack:

If you are looking at Antique shop finds you will need much more the "a pasted paddle". You are looking at getting into stone honing in a big way. For the average Antiques store razor I start with (after the blade is polished back to a mirror finish) a 1000 grit hone for putting the rudiments of an edge back on the razor, then I work up to at least 8000 from there. It is only at this point after 3 to 4 stones have been used that a pasted paddle might improve the edge.