Thread: Shapton GlassStone® Sharpening System

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.