Blunting

So I'm a few months into wet shaving. One day after rinsing the blade, I hit the tap on the way back up to my face and blunted the blade.
In a panic, I tried using the fabric side of a strop to try and straighten it. it helped a little, then I used it on the leather side.
This caused several scratch marks on the leather, from every pass. I know I need to hone it, but my question is: Can I still use the strop or should I replace it. It is still smooth to the touch, but visibly damaged.
Please advise

Use it. Lengthwise "scratches" aren't really a problem unless they're really big. (if you can't feel 'em they're fine) It's the nicks that go across the width that need to fix one way or another.

The scratches are probably just cosmetic; your strop should still work just fine. :)

More than likely you can use the strop as mentioned above. Take care in honing out the nick in the blade. By your questions, I will take it as you are relatively new at honing as well. I would recommend using tape on the spine untill you get the nick out of the blade. Please don't butterknife it. Actually, if you aren't proficient at honing I would recommend sending it off to someone who is accustomed to removing nicks...it's not as easy as you may imagine.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Back to the honing.
I wasn't too concerned about my first time honing as I have picked up a lot from online tutorials.
But this tape on the spine thing is new to me. Scotch tape or electrical?
Is this protecting the edge somehow? Please elaborate.

Use good electrical tape like that made by 3m on the spine. It protects the spine from un-needed wear.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

Use good electrical tape like that made by 3m on the spine. It protects the spine from un-needed wear.

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+1. It also helps maintain the angle on some razors. I don't tape the spines when honing my hollow ground razors, but I do on all my wedges. It serves to raise the angle on the bevel slightly. Since I started honing that way I have no desire to reset the bevel on my wedges by honing without it.