Let me fill you in on my progress in regard to learning to become good at str8 razor shaving and maintenance before I ask a few questions:

I've been str8 razor shaving for a couple of months now, and doing pretty well so far. I started with a Feather system. - a good way to break in to shaving with a str8, I think. I do not have a stone for honing, yet. I did buy some strops on Ebay, nothing great, but acceptable until I get a good one from Tony. I did buy a paddle strop from him with .5 chromium oxide on one side. I found stroping on the paddle difficult to keep the blade flat. I tried different angles and positions, i.e., sitting, standing, North to South, West to East, SW to NE, on my theigh, knee, leaning on the coffee table, etc., etc. I am still not confident I am keeping the blade flat with little pressure. I will say that struggling with the paddle has really improved my stropping on the hanging strop for some reason. Maybe standing was the answer. Thoughts? I know I must learn the hanging strop efficiently. I have about six razors that are not, yet, shave ready. - perhaps 90% ready, but not there, yet. Every evening I sit in front of the TV and work them on the pasted paddle - a few stokes, feel the edge, not there, a few more.... Just trying to get a feel for how to build an edge. Thoughts? I will be getting a Norton soon and I look forward to this experience. I then bought some shave ready razors on Ebay. One is working beautifully, a Beau Brummel. A great razor, evidently made by the Pearlduck people. I have been able to maintain this razor to produce super shaves. This is where I am at: My shaving skills and prep are excellent, not a nick for a couple of weeks, and I am getting great shaves. Stroping has been getting much better, and I now have confidence using the hanging strop. Finially a few questions: Can I over strop on a pasted paddle? If so, how do you correct this? You certainly can't back hone on a strop.

Should I leave the pasted paddle alone for now and wait for the Norton? I don't seem to be making any progress with the pasted paddle and I feel my not so ready razors need to be touched up with a stone. Any thoughts?

Clean up on the razor after a shave: I rinse the razor well in hot water and wipe it dry with a tissue, avoiding touching the edge(is this important?) I then wipe with an alcohol cotton ball and set it to dry while I clean the sink. I then put a drop of Tuf-Glide on the pivot pin and the blade(spread with my finger) and put it away. What do you think of Kano Kroil Oil?- and can it be use in this manner, also?

I have two usable hanging strops, one is 24" x 2-1/2", a "Jumbo Hide" by Sharpleigh, #DE40. It has a large scar in to stroping area. Can I use a pumace stone on it? - the one I use for the toilets? or do I need to buy one from a vendor that supplies shaving accessories? Is ther a difference? I am using a very cheap Zeepk strop that's 1-7/8 x 8"(stroping area), and the damn thing is working okay for now.

I guess that's it for now 'till I get my Norton. Sorry for being so lengthy. Thanks...