Thread: Honing -- use stones or strops with paste?

i just got my razor and i am just wondering the pros and cons to using stones or a strop with paste to hone a razor.

any suggestions?

Good luck finding an answer to that one. In my opinion on this subject I'd say start with an already honed razor.

Then, use a paddle strop with paste in the first 6 months while you learn to hone.

If your planning on finding a way to learn how to hone then I'd go with the hone. I would recommend contacting Randydance for a skype session, or meeting with someone or doing some serious reading.

If the razor you just recieved is shave ready, then a pasted paddle strop is probably your best bet for keeping your razor up to speed.

In my experience pasted paddles work very well for refreshing a razor. However, if the geometry of the bevel needs to be altered in any way, you'll definitely need a hone. No matter how much time I spend on my pasted paddle, it does not alter the geometry of the bevel at all. Even with the slightest amount of blunting, I'm forced to go to the hones.

well i must agree with the advice you have been given already, I have both hones and a pasted strop and even now after a year i still worry about honeing, a worry which is purely in my head...as when i do it , i do okay..the pasted strop is a good starter option, Tony Millers pasted strop with 4 sides is what i have and its a great tool to have, complete with instructions.

I also have had the benefit of Randys skype honeing which in my opinion is an awesome way to learn, although I think my ability certainly is a testament to randy's infinite patience...lol.

With the help of members here and your quest for knowledge you wont go wrong, so ask plenty questions..

and remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers....

good luck... simon

I would have to agree too. Pasted paddles are fine for refreshing but will not establish a bevel or remove nicks. They are far easier to learn on though espoecially if you cannot get hands on instruction.

In my opinion eventually you will own and use both.

Tony

Originally Posted by coully

well i must agree with the advice you have been given already, I have both hones and a pasted strop and even now after a year i still worry about honeing, a worry which is purely in my head...as when i do it , i do okay..the pasted strop is a good starter option, Tony Millers pasted strop with 4 sides is what i have and its a great tool to have, complete with instructions.

I also have had the benefit of Randys skype honeing which in my opinion is an awesome way to learn, although I think my ability certainly is a testament to randy's infinite patience...lol.

With the help of members here and your quest for knowledge you wont go wrong, so ask plenty questions..

and remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers....

good luck... simon

what's randy's skype honeing?

Fire up Skype, open up a video convo with Randy Tuttle and prepare to be amazed by the master's work.

Thanks for the recommendation guys.

Skype is a video/voice/chat program like Yahoo with Voice or Windows Alive Messenger (MSN) but it is better in features and quality and it is free! Go to Skype.com and download/install the program. My "name" on both Skype and Yahoo is randydance062449 and on MSN it is randydance.

All you need is a webcam and a microphone then we can have a honing session to get you started.

P.S., I am old and ugly!