What's the deal with stropping on newspaper?

I've seen some oblique references to this and I assume it involves putting some paste on some old newspaper and stropping on that but I don't know. Can someone enlighten me?

Thanks, Mike Layne:confused:

PM Justin, AKA jaegerhund!
He did some extensive research on this subject, and as far as I know, he didn't use pastes, just plain newspaper!!

Wrap some plain newspaper around one of your hones and tape it up tight, and strop away. This works much better if the top surface is dense text or a BW photo - the ink seems to be what's doing the work.

The razor needs to be hair-popping sharp when you start, or it will take hundreds of laps to get anywhere.

the paper (or the ink perhaps) is slightly abrasive and acts like a slow paddle strop

makes me think...if the razor is hair popping sharp, is this worth the effort?

Good question. And only you can answer it. You can imagine the guy who buys a shave ready razor and doesn't have any money for a hone though might think so.

Newsprint ink is made from oil (petrolium I think) and carbon, that's the blackness of it. Carbon has a grit size similar to Chromium Oxide. I've never tried it, but I believe it should work.

X

ah yes i suppose it would work for touch-ups.

*thinks about soaking a piece of leather in black ink*

1. It does work, but I imagine different razors respond in varying degrees
2. For me - it is worth it if you can perceive an increase in shaving abilities, especially smooth feel (once I have sufficient sharpness)

Cheers
Ivo

I think if someone made a list we would have one heck of a collection of off the wall media for honing a razor.