Thread: Is it possible to overhone with a pasted strop?

Hi Folks,

I understand that overhoning can be corrected by back honing (spine leading) on a normal hone.

As the spine is leading on a pasted strop, as opposed to the edge in normal honing on a stone, you are in effect recreating the back honing motion.

I therefore wondered if overhoning was impossible on a pasted strop and thus a good way of touching up my razor? Anyone any ideas on this?

I have my razor shaving well now but can't get it up to the same level of sharpness of my shavette blades yet. I have an 8K waterstone and can't seem to get Lynn sharp.

Thanks

Rob

Overhoning is possible using pastes.

Whenever abrasives are present overhoning is always possible. It may take longer with a pasted strop than a hone but it certainly can be done. As they say no matter how dumb proof they try and make something someone always comes along to out dumb the dumb proofing!

Originally Posted by Bobbo

As the spine is leading on a pasted strop, as opposed to the edge in normal honing on a stone, you are in effect recreating the back honing motion.

I therefore wondered if overhoning was impossible on a pasted strop and thus a good way of touching up my razor? Anyone any ideas on this?

You can overhone with a pasted strop. It's just a lot harder because it takes so many more swipes. Backhoning removes a wire edge because you're coming from a different direction and just break it off. THere's nothing in backhoning that would eliminate burrs.

I have my razor shaving well now but can't get it up to the same level of sharpness of my shavette blades yet. I have an 8K waterstone and can't seem to get Lynn sharp.

I'm not sure what blades you're using, but if they were Feathers, nobody can get that sharp honing by hand. As for getting to Lynn's level, that's a tall order. Once in a while I can get an edge as sharp as he does, and I count myself lucky. If you want to be as good as him you'll have to go through 5000 razors.

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

Backhoning removes a wire edge because you're coming from a different direction and just break it off. THere's nothing in backhoning that would eliminate burrs.

What's the difference between a wire edge and a burr?

Originally Posted by dylandog

What's the difference between a wire edge and a burr?

They are one and the same.

Originally Posted by dylandog

What's the difference between a wire edge and a burr?

A wire edge is a particular type of burr, a very fine one that you usually can't see, and often you can only feel it in a thumbnail test.

The burrs you get with knives are usually visible, or you can feel them if you run your fingers in a spine-to-edge direction.