don't give up on old blades

I have 2 razors that I could not shave with. I bet I must have honed 4 time each. 1K-3K-8K-12K nanawa stones. I would strop many strokes (100 cloth-leather) they would pass the HHT then after 1-2 passes on my beard I would have to stop and get another razor. I recently ordered and used the English leather and cotton strop. without re-honing by just using the strops both blades shaved nicely. I know the first strops were good and It had to be my ability with that strop. what I'm trying to say is some times you just have to experiment.

Unless your stropping changed overnight, if your English leather strop made your razor comfortable the first strop probably wasnt that good to begin with.

the latago (can't spell) strop worked on the other blades. so it must have been me. I know that the feel of the English strop was more what I was use to from years ago. I still have a C mon and a double cut Russia. I shave with a straight in the 60s and early seventys and for some reason quite . I have retired now and have time for the pleasures of taking my time and enjoying the shave. and so does my boss. (the wife)

As far as the blade is concerned leather is leather as long as it's smooth with no imperfections. Usually, when you have to strop mid shave it's sign the razor wasn't sharp enough to begin with. I know many think that is the case but once again I go back to the old days when barbers gave shaves. I'm old enough to have seen them doing this and I never saw a barber strop mid shave.

I'm in that age group also. the other strop has a lot more drag to it. because of that I may have been putting more pressure on the blade than was necessary. at any rate after the stropping with the English I got a complete shave with out pulling. anyway thanks for the info.