Buying a New Razor and Strop

Hello All:

I am new to the website, but have found reading previous posts to be very helpful and informative.

I have been shaving with a straight razor for roughly 10 years, but the last 7 have been with a feather razor which uses replaceable blades. Therefore, it has been a long time since I have had to hone or strop.

Recently, I have been using a Dovo razor that I purchased years ago so that I can shave upwards on the neck (it is almost impssible with a feather razor due to the lighter weight). The Dovo is tremendously beat up and contains rust. It is time for retirement I think on that razor.

I want to purchase a new razor and will go with either a Dovo or TI. I have 2 questions. First, is there any difference between the $90 razor and $200, except for the fancier handles? Or does the more expensive razor shave better? Second, classicshaving sells an extra-wide honing strop. Is that for everyday stropping, or just periodic honing?

I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks.

Some people have mentioned that they've had a slightly harder time getting those cheaper razors to keen up, but others have noticed no difficulty at all. I think the major difference is the fancy handles and gold wash, etc.

I don't know which strop you are mentioning, but a link to it would help us know for sure. I want to direct you to Tony Miller's stuff. He's got the best of the best for reasonable rates, is a gentleman of the first order and a more than pleasant businessman. He will answer any questions you have about his merch with pleasure. I think he's on a bit of a vacation right now so don't be allarmed if it takes a week or so to hear back from him at this point.

X

Thanks for the information and I will check Tony's website. Unfortunately, I would send you a link as to the honing strop but my computer skills are a bit rusty too. Thanks again.

You mention honing and stropping in the same sentence. You realize there is a difference. The strop is for stropping and the hone is for honing. I assume you mean an extra wide strop as oposed to the normal onces. The only advantage to the wide ones would be that you don't have to use an X motion you can go straight up and down the strop. I had one and personally didn't care for it. Of course to complicate things you can add paste to a strop and then it works like a hone buts thats another Subject.

I think the $90 razor will shave you as well as the $200 one. It might have to be honed more often and possibly stropped more often but the result will be the same. You don't get the stuff that X said in the $90 one and the steel is probably inferior but still good quality. You know a Honda Civic will get you where you want to go the same as an Accura but just not with the same luxury. Same here.

The strop I was referring can be found at http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...44/4011478.htm
Is it for stropping or honing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jehesq1

The strop I was referring can be found at http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...44/4011478.htm
Is it for stropping or honing?

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It's for abrasive paste strop honing or regular stropping if you keep it clean, but I'm sure Tony's are just as good and they're cheaper.

X

When I said thats another subject thats what I was referring to. Strops are generally used just before shaving and sometimes just after to dress the edge of the blade and dry it after shaving. Stropping doesn't really sharpen the blade. You can take a strop and add sharpening compounds to it and then it will sharpen or hone a razor and many use these pasted strops instead of the usual ceramic or stone hone though many would say pasted stropping can only do so much for a blade depending on its condition.

That particular strop is a paddle strop and though it can be used plain as a regular stropper I think its advertised purpose is to add pastes and use it to sharpen. I agree with X's advice, check out Tony's strops, they're cheaper and of very high quality. With the TI your paying for the name attached to it.

Thanks for the great advice guys, I appreciate it. I would only use it for stropping, and therefore, it would be a waste of money.

Does anyone here have that big TI and know if the 3" x 11" is the overall size or that of just the stropping surface?

I agree that just like mine it is really designed for pasting first, plain stopping only as an option to save space.

A hanging strop is still the best tool for daily use.

Tony