Thread: Trouble using a strop

Ok, so i got this TM 2 sided paddle strop for christmas, it has 1.0 and .5 paste on it.

My razor kind of felt like it was pulling some, so i did 10 laps on each side. but it doesnt really feel any smoother shaving. so i did around 20 more on each side. it helped some, but not like it was when i got it shave ready.

Should i do more laps on my strop or does this thing need to see a hone? any ideas?

A couple of possibilities here. Very often when you run a razor down a strop it will exhibit draw which is a pulling sensation and usually means the razor is in pretty sharp condition. Usually you get that with a plain strop. With a pasted strop sometimes the paste on it causes some friction with the blade which can feel like pulling also. You didn't say what kind of razor you have or what the edge looks like so its hard to tell you much more. If the edge is in good shape and close to shave ready those pasted strops should be all you need but if its not then it will likely need to be honed on a stone. Tell us more about the razor and who honed it for you or what you did to sharpen it.

it is a dovo best from TM, so i beleive it was originally honed by Chris (El Amien)sp. the edge looks good to the naked I (i dont have any way to magnify it), and it shaves pretty good, but it is just not as sharp as it was when i got it.

maybe i just need a few more passes on the pasted strop?

Re-replicating an edge from an expert is no easy task. When you say your doing X number of passes on each side, what order are you going in (which side first)?

Originally Posted by shaveme

the edge looks good to the naked I

Do you have a photo of the razor?

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Do you have a photo of the razor?

Razor porn you know......


i could take a pic i guess, not sure that it would help any.


I used the 1.0 first then the .5.......that is correct right?

i took a couple pics, but i can't figure out how to upload them

When you post there is a tool bar above the text window. It will let you insert a pic , via a link to the pic you have posted on the web somewhere.

Below the text window there are more options. Here you can upload a pic to this server to be displayed in your post.

Ok Here are the pics