Greetings from Sydney, AU.

Hi,

My name is Augusto and I've been wetshaving for about 2 years now. I decided to take the plunge in SR shaving a couple of months ago and I feel like a dry sponge that has just been thrown into an olympic pool. Given shipping costs and time, I felt it would be prudent of me to look into ways I could keep new blades as sharp as possible without having to send them overseas for honing.

Apart from strops, would you guys be able to inform me as to some of the ways you perform touchups on your straight razors. I've been quite interested in the different diamond pastes, CrOx and the possible paddle strop/hanging strop combinations.

I understand that the hand of an amateur can't possibly replace that of a honemeister. If you still recommend sending the razors overseas for honing I will certainly take that under advisement.

Welcome. This is awesome place. The Wiki is great place too.

I can not give any advices to your stropping issue. I am struggling with my stropping technique. You will find answers here.

Thanks for the welcome!

I foresee myself spending hours on this site tonight.

Welcome!

It sounds like you are doing your homework, which is great! :)

There is actually a member here, Oz, who goes by Onimaru55 on this site who is a true honemeister and lives in Australia. If you want your razors honing, he would be the guy to go to..!

If you want a touch up method between honings, a pasted strop would work, or you could get a barber hones from eBay for around US$25. Both work well, and its really personal preference as to which one you go for.

You will eventually need something thats lower grit than a barber hone or pasted strop though, so it might well be worth dropping Oz a PM to see whats what. He's also a Mentor here, and is very knowledgable about all things straight razor.

IIRC, he's also a mean Karate expert...! :)

Good luck and keep us posted!