Finishing Pastes..0.5, 0.25 or Chromium?
I get asked this question almost daily...."what pastes should I chose on a 4 side or 2 side paddle". I give my suggestions but am curious as to whether my suggestions hold up in practice for others or if you guys have certian tried and true suggestions that stand out above the others.
My basic advice on grit size alone (not which material) is:
3.0 micron:
A substitute for the 8K side of a Norton. Useful in place of the stone for those who have not been able to master the Norton or choosing not to buy one. Also great if realy refreshing single razor and not wanting to soak the Norton, make the mess etc... Yes, a stone sets a more exact bevel but I am talking substitute here, not equal. An optional size if using pastes.
1.0 micron:
Used quite often, again by non-stone users in the normal refreshing process. Great for guys who have a high tolerance for dulling edges and who tend to let an edge slip a bit before refreshing and when the 0.5 just won't bring it back quickly. A must have size if using pastes.
0.5 micron:
The "go to" grit. A finishing paste for most. A few swipes every week, a few more if used ever two to three weeks will deliver the final, pre-hanging strop edge. Another must have size if using pastes.
0.25 micron:
The "love it or hate it" paste for all who have tried it. For many it provides that needed extra to the edge or else the edge is not sharp enough (they love it). Or, it leaves a harsh face irritating edge for many or a nice shave but it needs refreshing far more often. I suspect people over "hone" with this leaving a slight wire edge that both irritates delicate skin and breaks down quickly requiring frequent trips back to the paddle. An optional size for one using pastes.
Diamond:
(In any grit size) This is a fast cutting medium with sharp edged crystals. It will cut any razor steel quickly but for some leaves a slightly harsh edge even at the 0.5 micron level.
Chromium:
A bit slower, maybe not quite as long lived cutting ability but with its rounded crystal shape leaves a very face friendly edge for most. Typically not available in any but 0.5 micron and as messy as fireplace soot but really a nice paste for finishing.
Others:
As for the old time pastes, well I have not used any enough to comment. Dovo, Jemico, etc... all have traditional pastes that worked for our fathers and grand fathers for years. Red, Black, green ,etc... slow, maybe a bit coarse but they did the job.
Now many will say hones give the ultimate edge and I do agree.... for those who can use them well. Not everyone masters stones, not everyone wants to. For many (even me) choose to use pastes 90% of the time and either hone occasionally or send our razor out. Many use both. The initial bevel is set with stones and pastes are used to keep that edge going for 6 months or a year before a hone is used again.
So, as this is typically a question asked by beginners, I didn't really want to get into the realm of high priced finishing hones. This is for guys starting out or who have shaves under their belt and are looking for the next step in keeping their razor going with pastes or with pastes and hones.
I am curious to know what pastes you use..... do you use them exclusively or do you use them along with a hone and which ones work for you and which do not.
Thanks,
Tony
Sorry for my newbiness....
I recently purchased the "Classic Straight Razor Sharpening Set". In it, came a Thiers-Issard Double-Sided Sharpening Strop and two pastes ; one green & one red.
According to the description of this set, the strop has two different colored leather sides to it so that the user can easily identify which paste is applied to which side.
My questions are :
1) Are you supposed to strop before every shave?
2) How often should you apply the paste(s) to the leather?
My razor came "shave ready" so I didn't have to do anything, but now I have to strop it I believe.
Lil' help? :)
