honing questions

Hey i have a question i have a filarmonica ,and a dovo russian leather strop with linen back with all the dovo paste. I strop my razor 40 strokes on linen then 40 strokes on the fine leather/without any paste.Then when i am done shaving i do 20-25 strokes on both sides.I have some experience with a strop but am not there yet 100%.Should i just stick with getting better with a strop or should i also use a stone or hone when the edge is getting dull. Is the strop the only thing i need or do i need a hone or stone to keep the edge shave ready.If i need one whitch is the best for someone with little experience use.Is the dovo paste any good or the diamond paste better?What is good for a strop or stone what kind of paste.

Thanks for your time and helping me out :)

Your strop should be good to keep your razors edge if you are stropping correctly, by turning on the spine and keeping the razor flat on the strop.

If you have the strop I'm thinking of, if the canvas side has the white paste on it? I have that stuff on my strop and its kept the edges on my blades very nicely.

Your stropping sounds good to me. Personally, I do 25 canvas and 50 leather before, then 10 of each afterwards, but do whatever works for you. Just dont spend too much time on the canvas if it has any paste on it because the paste is mildly abrasive and will remove metal as you strop. I used to do more on the canvas but found I get a better result with fewer strokes.

Eventually your edges will start to dull and you'll need something more than a strop to touch them up, and there are myriad options to do this.

First, pastes. Some people have a second strop, or a loom/ paddle strop, with slightly more aggressive pastes on it. Either 0.5 Chromium oxide, 0.5/0.25 diamond spray or paste or some other paste. These can often work well to touch up an edge that is just starting to dull. You can make a balsa or denim hone very cheaply at home.

Other people use barber hones, which you can purchase on eBay or via the classifieds here. I've not yet found a supplier that sells new ones, but they seem to cost $30-50 via the routes mentioned above. They seem to be around 10k grit (thats what I've read) and you can do half a dozen strokes on the hone, then strop as normal to bring your edge back.

Another option is to get a higher grit finishing stone. I use a Shapton 16k, but you could use a 12k Naniwa, a coticule with water, a chinese 12k (or PHIG as its now called!) or some other high grit finisher, natural or synthetic. Again, half a dozen or so strokes will be enough.

Give the Wiki a read as well, lots of good information in there on honing and touchiung up!

Good luck!

hey thank you that was very helpful ill post back when i have more questions.

barber hone is the best hone?also what is the best finishing stone and do i need to buy a stone and hone or i just need one?whats the best combo or thing i should get to have a sharp edge.

You should be fine with what you have for maintaining thats all you need if you fancy a change a coticule would be great i use issards paste works realy well for sharpening or should i say bringing edge back followed cro.ox.