Thread: Newspaper !!

I've read posts suggesting that newspaper is a good material for stropping a razor. I haven't bought a hard copy of a newspaper in years as I read my news on the web. This morning my neighbor brought over a brand spanky new one. He said that he had accidentally grabbed two when he bought his. I thanked him and went inside and grabbed a fairly sharp razor and gave it 30 or 40 round trips. I went over to the hair brush and grabbed one of my super fine hairs and every millimeter of that blade was going through that hair like it wasn't even there. I am going to shave with it shortly. Newspaper is the cat's whiskers.

Newspaper really made me appreciate my full hollow razors. I don't use it much anymore but it's impressive stuff. Only caveats are it's only good for a few hundred laps then it needs to be replaced, and newspapers aren't long for this world.

Put me in the newspaper fan category. I've incorporated it into most of my honing progressions for a long time now. I also like using it as a medium to rub a hint of dry chrome ox powder into. Zingo those edges can be fine!

Chris L

Newspaper is also really good for polishing windshields after you wash 'em. Handy stuff.

That's actually where I first heard of it.

Newspaper and vinegar is an age old remedy for cleaning windows.

so, i have been intrigued by this newspaper thing for a bit and i think i even tried it when i was really new and didn't have much success. but now that i have a routine and consistency, its time to throw a wrench into things

so at what point is the the newspaper best utilized at? is it a finisher? best after the CrOx?
also i have heard that some roll up the newspaper and some fold it a couple times and place it on a flat surface. which is better? i will probably try all different variations but some suggestions would be great.

I'll often use newspaper as the last polishing medium prior to plain leather pre-shave stropping. So, newspaper will follow time on the Shapton 16k, Nakayama Asagi, etc. I use two cut squares wrapped tightly down and taped tightly around a large flat hone (usually my Chinese 12k) or a cut piece of polished marble floor tile.

Chris L

Personally I wrap it around an old barber hone that I have. Works for me.

I've tried stropping on newspaper once. I just wrapped a piece around my 8x2 coticule since it's flat and good sized. It was a good shave afterwards, but it's hard to say if it's from the newspaper....

More experimenting in the future is needed...