Thread: Blade Maintenance

I wasn't quite sure where to put this...

So, here goes. My current plan is that my next purchase will be a TM Horsehide and Linen to complement my TM Red Latigo and Cotton... I will make the Cotton a pasted hanging strop, and use Linen -> Latigo -> Horsehide as my primary stropping rotation. Then, somewhere way further down the road, getting a TM Pasting Paddle Strop (I am quite fond of Mister Miller's products ) for my honing.

However... I have some questions.

1. What are the differences between a pasted hanging strop and, say, a barber's hone... Do either have advantages?

2. Are Pasted Paddles really suitable replacements for Honing stones?

3. Can someone please explain different pastes to me? I keep hearing about white, red, brown, CroOx, diamond dust, varying levels of "microns"... What does all this mean?

4. Anyoen with this experience, I know the linen beats the cotton, but how much better is it, and why, in your opinion.

that should be it. Thanks guys.

Also, if it plays any impact in the difference between Pasted strop and Barber's hone, I've gotten really good at honing, I pass the HHT 7.5/10 times if I'm giving the blade a quick practice stropping, and have yet to NOT pass the HHT after a focused, serious stropping. I practice. A lot.

Thanks for your time guys. Cheers,
Jeremy

here's my take on this
1. the direction of the blade, edge leading on hone, spine leading on strop, you'll also have to keep the strop tight and be careful not to paste it too heavily or strop too much.

2. for a finishing hones, yes

3. comprehensive explaination in such limited space is impossible. the color is irrelevant though. the differences are in composition of the abrasive, the size, and the composition of the binder.

4. i don't think it beats it, they're different.

Here is a post by Tony Miller with his take on the pastes. IME a pasted hanger, a paddle, flatbed or balsa are all good. One isn't better than the other it is just a matter of what you get used to. Just as some guys like one DE blade or another I think that some guys like the feel of a razor sharpened on one type or level of paste or another.

As Tony says in the linked post, some like 0.25 and others hate it. Whether it is one of the above or a barber hone, they all work well, you have to experiment and find what works for you IME. I've never used the cotton but I do like Tony's linen and SRD's fabric hangers. Their felt with diamond spray is really effective too. A lot of good stuff out there to choose from. Good country.

1. I actually meant what were the differences in outcome, my bad. I understand the differings between leather and stone :P

2. I meant a 4 sided paddle, from really rough to really fine... Not sure if that changes things

3. Ok, is a smaller micron rating coarser or smoother?

4. can I still achieve the same outcome with either?

Originally Posted by gugi

here's my take on this
1. the direction of the blade, edge leading on hone, spine leading on strop, you'll also have to keep the strop tight and be careful not to paste it too heavily or strop too much.

2. for a finishing hones, yes

3. comprehensive explaination in such limited space is impossible. the color is irrelevant though. the differences are in composition of the abrasive, the size, and the composition of the binder.

4. i don't think it beats it, they're different.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

I wasn't quite sure where to put this...

So, here goes. My current plan is that my next purchase will be a TM Horsehide and Linen to complement my TM Red Latigo and Cotton... I will make the Cotton a pasted hanging strop, and use Linen -> Latigo -> Horsehide as my primary stropping rotation. Then, somewhere way further down the road, getting a TM Pasting Paddle Strop (I am quite fond of Mister Miller's products ) for my honing.

However... I have some questions.

Jeremy,
These are some really good questions.

1. What are the differences between a pasted hanging strop and, say, a barber's hone... Do either have advantages?

Both of these are used to MAINTAIN the edge. The barber's hone will give you a more overall reliable result than the hanging strop. Reason I think this is so is because the hanging strop introduces too many variables into its use. For instance: degree of tightness, condition of the surface, amount of material left after each usage. The barber's hone, however, is pretty much a constant known value.

On the other hand, if you were to use either one for some time, you would most likely product the exact same results with both.

2. Are Pasted Paddles really suitable replacements for Honing stones?

Pasted paddles are NOT a replacement for honing stones, except perhaps a barbers hone. The purpose of the pasted paddles is to maintain your razor between honings. When they are no longer effective, it is time to visit the hones.

3. Can someone please explain different pastes to me? I keep hearing about white, red, brown, CroOx, diamond dust, varying levels of "microns"... What does all this mean?

Pastes and dust are nothing more than ground up material, suspended in a medium so that it is suitable for our use whithout having to purchase an expensive stone to take its place.

I am not familure with the colored pastes but I am with crox and diamond sprays. Inexpensive crox is generally used for coloring paint. Its grit rating is somewhere around 15,000 grit and its purity is not all that great. The more expensive crox is guaranteed 99.9% pure and rated at 60,000 grit. After spending so much time in honing an edge, to what you think is absolute perfection, which one of these do you want to use to put the final polish on?

The diamond spray's were originally produced for use by knife makers to help put an edge on the super steels they now use. Exposing the high carbon steels, used in razors, has been a mixed bag for me. I have honed over 200 razors in the last few months, and because of mixed feedback, only use it when requested.

The lower the number, the finer the product.

4. Anyoen with this experience, I know the linen beats the cotton, but how much better is it, and why, in your opinion.

I was told a long time ago that these were used to warm up the edge before going to the leather, and I believe that is what it does.

that should be it. Thanks guys.

Also, if it plays any impact in the difference between Pasted strop and Barber's hone, I've gotten really good at honing, I pass the HHT 7.5/10 times if I'm giving the blade a quick practice stropping, and have yet to NOT pass the HHT after a focused, serious stropping. I practice. A lot.

Thanks for your time guys. Cheers,
Jeremy

These are all JMHO

Ray

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

3. Ok, is a smaller micron rating coarser or smoother?

the smaller the size in microns the finer the compound.

Thanks, everyone...

So is there any alternative to actual honing stones when blade hits that point, or do I just need to hit the stones? Also, how often do I need to hone (fully hone) versus how often do I need to use a pasting paddle/pasted strop (I know this is subjective to how well I strop in between, and other variables... Just want a rough estimate... I am a very proficient stropper, but still have some to learn [I wallop the hht every time, though] and I shave 2-3x a week...)

Thanks again

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

Thanks, everyone...

So is there any alternative to actual honing stones when blade hits that point, or do I just need to hit the stones? Also, how often do I need to hone (fully hone) versus how often do I need to use a pasting paddle/pasted strop (I know this is subjective to how well I strop in between, and other variables... Just want a rough estimate... I am a very proficient stropper, but still have some to learn [I wallop the hht every time, though] and I shave 2-3x a week...)

Thanks again

Here is the recommendation I give to folks who use a Hard Balsa Strop with crox.

Shave with your razor and when you are through, do 50 laps on leather before your next shave. Then when that doesn't bring the razor back, put 1 piece of tape on the spine and do 6 to 10 laps on the crox board. Wipe the razor clean and do 50 laps on leather and go again.

Keep this routne up until the edge doesn't return, usually 3 to 6 months. At that point you need to visit your hones, usually just a slight touchup, and start all over.

Hope this helps,

Ray

Erm... Can you enlighten me as to a Crox board/balsa strops? Thanks

1. The outcome should be sharp razor, it'll have slightly different feel, which one you prefer you can only tell by trying both, or more realistically you'll just like the one you use.

2. Most people in the US forums seem to use hones, most people in Europe seem to use pasted strops. I'm in US and haven't experimented much with pastes, in fact I dont really get to touch up an edge these days since I have enough razors that they're all very sharp. I think I'm actually set for several decades of not having to hone if I don't want to. So, can't really help much here

4. Yes. Linen is more abrasive than cotton, so you'll have to use more laps on cotton than you'd have to use on linen. I believe the purpose of the fabric component is to keep the edge clean and free from the oxidation that happens when steel surface is exposed to air.
The warming up of the edge theory is rubbish in my view, the numbers (physical properties of steel) don't support anything like that.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

1. I actually meant what were the differences in outcome, my bad. I understand the differings between leather and stone :P

2. I meant a 4 sided paddle, from really rough to really fine... Not sure if that changes things

3. Ok, is a smaller micron rating coarser or smoother?

4. can I still achieve the same outcome with either?