Touching up a Razor

Quick Q,

I don't own any Hone's yet, but I do have a pasted balsa board (Red and Green, I forget the grits) I do strop before and after each shave on my latigo leather which helps, but eventually I know I will need to touch up (5 - 10 shaves is a number I've heard bandied about)

My quesiton is, is the red/green balsa good enough or do I need to get a 12k stone or a pasted strop with diamond to touch up? (and I assume the touch up stroks are the same as stropping,,that is leading with the spine of the razor?)


Thanks

Sound like you have the whippedog balsa with Chromium Oxide and Iron Oxide. When you feel that your razor is losing sharpness, do a few laps on each side, green first. Say 10 laps on each. Then shave. :) Repeat if necessary.

Thanks, Yep it's the whipped dog balsa :)

I assume the laps are done "Spine first" (like I would on a strop)?

Spine first, like stropping indeed.

Cool, I'll wait till it starts tugging then touch it up. Hopefully that's enough to last a while

It could last a couple of years if you do it right, a few seconds if you do it wrong.