Quote Originally Posted by JimmyHAD View Post
Back in the early '80s a barber sold me a Swaty and a coticule. He demonstrated how to hone and he taught me how to strop. He told me to use the Swaty dry and the coticule with lather or water and only the weight of the blade.

He was adamant that only three or four strokes should be used on the Swaty and not many more on the coticule. No pressure, only the weight of the blade. As a result of following my barber friends instructions I was never able to get a blade sharp or keep a sharp blade shaving well. So shortly thereafter I gave up straight razor shaving and went back to the Gillette 'Good News" for another twenty years.
Is this the barber in your sig Jimmy?

no wonder that didn't work improving my grip

I never go past grade 2
I also torque the tang to lift the edge sometimes on finishing strokes

when I mentioned doing circles with slurry on an escher I had my finger laid on the blade, but that isn't even enough to jiggle a key on the computer