Thread: Shapton GlassStone® Sharpening System

Originally Posted by mparker762

No, you still need the separate grits, otherwise you'll wear out your expensive hone.

Do they wear quickly? I would risk it, suppose they wear in half a life time when you stick with one grit you can always buy a 2nd one, if you're fortunate you may never need to buy another one.

Originally Posted by mparker762

Do you do the HHT before or after stropping? You'll get better (more indicative) results if you strop before trying the HHT.

Sorry, but you will have to define HHT. I am starting to get the lingo/acronyms, but I don't know that one. Also,I don't have any pasted strops, just a linen and leather strop. Since I only have one razor, I simply give it 3 (maybe 4) laps on the shapton once I feel the blade beginning to pull when I shave, then strop on the leather, and that's it. I strop on the linen and leather after the first two shaves after honing. I don't know if this is "correct", but it has worked for me.

Would you recommend a pasted strop? if so, what grit and how do you use it?

Originally Posted by Kees

Do they wear quickly? I would risk it, suppose they wear in half a life time when you stick with one grit you can always buy a 2nd one, if you're fortunate you may never need to buy another one.

They will wear quickly if you're trying to use too high a grit - it takes roughly 8x the # of laps at 8k as it would at 4k, so even a fast stone is too slow if it's too fine.

Originally Posted by mhailey

Would you recommend a pasted strop? if so, what grit and how do you use it?

HHT is the acronym for hanging hair test. I don't actually use a hanging strand of hair from my head, instead I test the blade on my arm hair. I touch the blade to the middle of a hair about halfway up; the hair should cut in two on contact. Sharper blades will do the same thing closer to the end of the hair.

Pasted strops are a very cheap way to put a fine polish on an edge. I really like the 0.5 micron chrome oxide paste. Once you leave the 8k Shapton then about 10 laps on chrome oxide should do the trick (maybe more, maybe less, you'll have to experiment with your paddle/razor/hone combo).

Thanks for the clarification. I do the HHT (boy i sound official) after honing and stoping on the leather. I can cut the hair on my arm about 1/4 of the way up. I have alway understood the HHT to be touching the hair (from your head) to the blade while holding the blade stationary, and it just pops in two. when I do this, the hair just bends, and nothing is cut.

How do you paste a strop? Just rub it on? Do you have to "repaste" the strop each time? if no, how often do you have to repaste it?

Sorry if I am hijacking this thread.

Originally Posted by mhailey

How do you paste a strop? Just rub it on? Do you have to "repaste" the strop each time? if no, how often do you have to repaste it?

There are a lot of threads on this topic But yes, you just rub it in, and you repaste whenever it stops working. If you're just using one razor this could be once a year or so.