Thread: Who needs pastes??

Hey all,

So tonight I decided to just do some laps on finisher hones with my favourite razor. It's already shave ready, I just wanted to see if I could take it to the next level.

So I did about 20-25 laps with my hard coticule with just water, then about 30-40 laps on my nice little yellow/green thuringian. I honestly REALLY enjoy using these stones, the razors just float across the surface, and I've gotten very good at using the lightest possible pressure.

After that I stropped it a good 100 time. This whole process was more just for fun than anything, just an excuse to use my stones.

I didn't use any pastes at ALL after the stones.....

So I showered, put a hot towel on my face, then lathered up. Then I gave my razor another 20 or laps on the leather (it really didn't need it considering the 100 strop laps after honing was done not 30 minutes earlier...). Well the shave was SUPER smooth, I've never had that razor cut the hairs so effortlessly before! As just for fun I stropped it another 10-20 times before the next pass too!

I just wanted to say that I LOVE the Coticule and the Thuringian hones! Together they make an awesome hair-fighting team. The razor loved the stones, and I'm very happy to get an amazing shave without the use of any pasted strops (not that I have anything against them, I have a TM 4-sided paddle strop ).

The moral of this long post is: with the right touch and the right stones, who needs pastes? There's nothing wrong with using them, but it's nice to know that you really don't need them.

Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

I just wanted to say that I LOVE the Coticule and the Thuringian hones!

Nice work Dave, but I have to ask........ are there any toys you DON'T have???

you really dont need pastes but if you didnt have but a 1000 hone a 4000 hone and a 6000 or an 8000 hone you would need them for sure

Nah the pastes have finer grit than stones are capable of. I get a smoother shave when my edges have a mirror polish.

You should always try to get a good shaving edge straight off the hone and plain leather. Pastes etc are an aid to maintaining an edge and keeping it from degrading to far.
It's great to get that first razor to the point where only hones and leather have achieved 'The Edge', now you have try to do it again with the next razor

PuFF

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

You should always try to get a good shaving edge straight off the hone and plain leather. Pastes etc are an aid to maintaining an edge and keeping it from degrading to far.
It's great to get that first razor to the point where only hones and leather have achieved 'The Edge', now you have try to do it again with the next razor

PuFF

Definitely! I have 7 razors, and 4 of them shave-ready so far....So you better believe I'll be using my other razors on these stones

Congratulations on your success! Your marching along the learning curve just fine!

Dave, you and I are on the same page. I have gotten to where I can get an edge satisfactory to me with a variety of hones including the coticule and Escher. I strove to be able to do it without paste. Now it is rare that I use it.

At the same time I feel that it is just another arrow in the quiver and there is no shame in using it to improve the edge if someone wants to. At this stage of the game I just don't feel the need.

I don't have an Escher. Is is used after the Coticule? I guess it is obviously. Have you ever shaved from the coticule, stropping of course....

Originally Posted by zib

I don't have an Escher. Is is used after the Coticule? I guess it is obviously. Have you ever shaved from the coticule, stropping of course....

Escher was a company that sold stones mined in the Thuringan region. When you see Thuringan stone referred to it is the same family. It is a finishing stone which from what I have read most rate at like a 12000 grit. I don't know about that for sure. With any natural stone you have to use it and see where it fits into a progression.

One vendor says that there is no need to go to the Thuringan/Escher type stone following a coticule as it is redundant with the finishing qualities being so close. When I read that Lynn went to an Escher blue/green after a coticule or a Norton I figured it must be worthwhile and I believe it is.

I have shaved off of the coticule only (after stropping) and got a great shave. I have one coticule that is pretty hard and a great finisher with water only. Most of the ones I have are darn good finishers with water only. Still have to get to know some of them. Darn HAD has me getting them faster then I can use them.