Thread: Does anyone just use hones and strops

Just wondering if anyone out there just uses hones and strops to get shave ready and how do you do it?

As opposed to?

many people do. over here (north america, i guess) that is the norm.. sometimes pastes are used to finish an already shave ready edge.. it is uncommon here to use pastes to hone an edge although in europe it is somewhat more common to set the bevel on a bevel setter (1k, etc) and use a progression of pastes to get the edge to where you want it.. it sounds like you have a lot of reading to do, check out the library/wiki and drop by chat if you have questions.. there is a chat going on tonight..

Originally Posted by hillbillyhession

Just wondering if anyone out there just uses hones and strops to get shave ready and how do you do it?

Like many others, my answer is "yes."

I do it by honing with a variety of natural and synthetic hones, cleaning the blade on a newspaper strop, and then stropping sometimes on leather and sometimes on linen and then leather.

That's it. No pastes are needed.

Caveat: I'm a novice honer!
If you mean do you use pastes?

The only way I get a super edge (sometimes) is to use CBN (or equivalent) after the hone.
That's not to say it's not good enough straight off the hone, but to take it to the next level I use the paste.
I'm striving to get a better edge off the hones since I'm thinking maybe the pastes are making up for honing inexperience.

I do. Just stones and strops. No pastes, or sprays.

Me Too,,,stones & strops

I don't use paste after naturals, I do use on synthetic progression and I think its 100% up to you. I don't think it makes you a better or worse honer though. Its just a tool. Besides if the edge is no good the paste will do nothing anyway. So answering your question. Yes it is definitely possible and pastes do add that little extra if you need it. What I don't quite understand about it is its like almost taboo to use them. Like you can't hone if you use paste. Its just another tool.

I use em all... paste, paste on balsa, paste on leather, paste on linen. Cow strops, roo strops... I would use others but the $, oh the $!! Anyway, diamond sprays, Crox. And oh the hones - Big ones, small ones, natural hones, synthetic hones... hell I used a brick once. It's whatever .

I am not faithful to any one methodology. I am just not experienced enough to be loyal.

But overall, all said and done, I do find myself leaning to rubbing my blade against something paste, spray or crayon-like after the hone and before the leather.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Me Too,,,stones & strops

Well this subject is included in the 99.9% of everything about buying, using and maintaining a straight razor! That 99% is all about ‘Personal Preference’!

Personally I like the feel of the blade off of either my Norton 8K or the Naniwa 12K!

I just touched up a blade for a newbie by using a Swaty since that’s what he’s going to have available when the time comes.

I liked the shave!