coticle v. pasted strop?

[bpatton]

Which would you say is a more important part of the process? I have a norton, and am still learning to hone on it. However, I intend to be doing this for a long time. In the near future I can only afford one, so which should I get?

[mparker762]

It's not a binary choice - there are lots of options, and pretty much all of them work well. Shaptons, barber hones, PSA sandpaper, etc.

[JoshEarl]

I love my coticule, but I'd have to vote for the pasted strop.

The pasted strop is easier to learn, and you can experiment with different grits and abrasives. Initially you'll notice more of an improvement from the pasted strop vs. a coticule.

Good luck,
Josh

[Laager]

Having just recently accquired a pasted strop and also having prior time with Coticule and Escher, a pasted strop is the way to go in the short term.

It is far more forgiving of technique, cheaper and provides more encouragement for effort (and money) expended.

In the long term, as technique improves, a stone would be better. Why? Pasted strops don't stay effective forever. They need abrasive reapplication periodically.

[mparker762]

In the long term, as technique improves, a stone would be better. Why? Pasted strops don't stay effective forever. They need abrasive reapplication periodically.

I don't see it - it only takes a few minutes to repaste a paddle. Hones don't stay effective forever either. They need lapping periodically.

[thebigspendur]

There are many honing mediums out there and if you buy vintage razors eventually you will use everything you have. I'm not a pasted strop guy and though I have two I never use them. I'll take my Coticule any day but recently I had acquired a razor that no matter what I did and what I used I just couldn't get it honed up, it had very bad spine wear and uneven wear too. Out of desperation I pulled out my diamond pasted strops and they worked and the razor shaves great now. So for someone starting out I would still say get the hone first but thats my opinion. I'm stilll not a pasted strop guy.

[Bruno]

I am a stones kind of man (queue 'sympathy for the devil', best rock and roll song ever )
I use stones for everything, ranging from taking out nicks and chips to finishing after the Norton. But that is because I like working with stones on metal. I am even experimenting with using small stones to polish the blade instead of using dremel + polishing compound.

As with most things here, there are several ways to end up at the same place.

[Laager]

I don't see it - it only takes a few minutes to repaste a paddle. Hones don't stay effective forever either. They need lapping periodically.

Paste isn't free.

[mparker762]

It's cheaper than sandpaper or a lapping hone, even for a lifetime supply.

[Laager]

It's cheaper than sandpaper or a lapping hone, even for a lifetime supply.

No worries. Tell me which company you own that manufactures the paste and supplies you for near nada.

A 10 cent sheet of paper vs $8 - $10 for paste? Never going to convince me of the creative economics you're using.