Thread: Strop and paste or coticule?

Quick question, with no definitive answer I am sure - be good to get some opinions.
Have a Norton 4/8 - flatenned with 320 grit wet paper but needs more flattening on the 4. Just bought DMT D8C to do this hopefully more effectively. Wish I had someone close by to walk me through it but there we go!
Anyway, thinking about finishing and trying to decide on a pasted paddle strop or a belgian coticule. I have read that the pasted strops don't give as long lasting an edge but are fool proof for honing newbies like myself. The yellow coticule is by all accounts the bees knees and I no doubt will 'graduate' to one but would I be better going straight to it now or go for the strop with pastes? Thoughts anybody?

cheers
Stephen

Originally Posted by Makar

I have read that the pasted strops don't give as long lasting an edge but are fool proof for honing newbies like myself. The yellow coticule is by all accounts the bees knees and I no doubt will 'graduate' to one but would I be better going straight to it now or go for the strop with pastes?

What you've read matches my experience. I'd add that it takes more skill/practice to consistently get the best edges possible from a coticule than from a pasted paddle strop. I've spent a lot of time practicing honing and I'm just now getting consistently smooth, sharp edges. But it's really satisfying when you get them. I've just taken five razors (in a row!) from ebay dull to satisfyingly sharp and smooth by starting with a DMT 1200, progressing to a Norton 4K/8K, and finishing on a coticule.

Its really what you prefer. Its true that pastes are easier to master but give shorter lasting edges but they are so easy to use its really not a reason to choose pastes over hones. Of course using a hone is the classic way of sharpening a razor however there are some razors especially ones with really hard steel like damascus types and the new TI Silverwings that really seem to do better with Diamond paste. But in the end on Sunday night its really a YMMV type of thing.