Thread: honing, strop pastes

I have been using a straight for a week know, so far I get what I would call an excellent shave for being a newbie. I get a slight irratation on sides of my upper lip, and a little high on my left cheek, but I think the cheek gets a little irritated because I have never shaved that high before. I have honed the razor a little bit three different times this week to get a keener edge. I can hang a hair, and with a swift movement cut the hair. I don't consider this passing the hanging hair test because from other threads I take that the test is passed by barely moving the razor. But anyone with half eye sight can tell that a real newbie honed the blade. After this week I have a pretty good reference point for the sharpness of my blade. My QUESTION: I am wondering if this reference point for sharpness would improve much if I used pastes with a new several sided strop, or is it not that big of improvement from leather/linen. Also I am wondering if anyone would volunteer to get one heck of a keen edge on this for me to illustrate the "WOWZA" I have read about. I will be happy to pay for all the shipping etc.

I love this straight razor shaving stuff....

Ryan,
Big difference between a leather / linen strop and a pasted one. The leather/linen strop only aligns the edge, an already sharp edge. A pasted strop or a hone actually sharpens the edge.
At some point you will need to really sharpen the razor. If the geometry of the blade is already correct (well maintained razor, new out of the box razor, etc...) a pasted strop will be fine for a long time. If it is an old eBay special or improperly sharpened razor only a hone will bring it back. Many people use both as the pasted strop can help polish a hones edge.
I suggest sending out the razor to be honed by a group member or buying a ready to go razor so you know what it should feel like.
The honemeisters will be along shortly with more advice!
Tony

Originally Posted by ryan_a

I have been using a straight for a week know, so far I get what I would call an excellent shave for being a newbie. I get a slight irratation on sides of my upper lip, and a little high on my left cheek, but I think the cheek gets a little irritated because I have never shaved that high before. I have honed the razor a little bit three different times this week to get a keener edge. I can hang a hair, and with a swift movement cut the hair. I don't consider this passing the hanging hair test because from other threads I take that the test is passed by barely moving the razor. But anyone with half eye sight can tell that a real newbie honed the blade. After this week I have a pretty good reference point for the sharpness of my blade. My QUESTION: I am wondering if this reference point for sharpness would improve much if I used pastes with a new several sided strop, or is it not that big of improvement from leather/linen. Also I am wondering if anyone would volunteer to get one heck of a keen edge on this for me to illustrate the "WOWZA" I have read about. I will be happy to pay for all the shipping etc.

I love this straight razor shaving stuff....

Hello Ryan .... During the first week or so of straight razor shaving, even with a perfectly keen razor, your skin will adjust to the fact that a straight razor removes more dead skin (slough) than a DE. That may appear as "irritation." The skin will adjust and that will pass. Be sure to start each shave by first disinfecting the razor with 70% isopropyl alcohol to reduce razor burn.

THE RAZOR STAYS STILL DURING THE HANGING HAIR TEST. Move the hair carefully, not the razor .... fewer fingertips on the floor that way. With a keen razor, the hair will catch and pop off when touched and drawn slightly from the blade. Test in several locations on each side of the razor.

When beginning, a pasted strop will usually produce better results in keeping a sharp razor keen between honings, than a "touch-up" on a beginner's hone. A keen razor will stay keen indefinitely by carefully stropping on plain leather before each shave. Eventually, more is needed. A pasted strop with, say, green paste will restore a keen edge when followed by stropping on plain leather. Eventually, a well-used razor will need to revisit a honing stone. That can be immediately followed by a pasted stropping, and always finish on plain leather.

Hi Ryan. Good to hear you're making steps. I've had razors in exactly the condition you describe and although they often shave pretty well, sometimes great, the hair popping sharp is the best situation in the shave. Last week my Böker was starting to drag a little and wouldn't pass the Hanging Hair test when I checked so rather that go to the hone, for the first time I simply went to a pasted flatbed strop with 0.5 micron Chromium Oxide on it for about 40 laps and it was right up to snuff passing the hair test and shaving great.

It sounds to me like you could benefit from a pasted strop. IMHO.

X

This site has saved my a$$ eerrrr face...I am sure of it. The responses and knowledge really knocks down the learning curve. I think I am going to get a 2 or 4 sided strop next month and hopefully I will get the good results I hear about.

Also, how often does one need to use the pasted strops, once a week, everyday or after it is noticed that they are needed. I guess I am asking if the pasted strop is a solution, or a preventative type of maintanence?

Thanks

Originally Posted by ryan_a

how often does one need to use the pasted strops, once a week, everyday or after it is noticed that they are needed. I guess I am asking if the pasted strop is a solution, or a preventative type of maintanence?

Razors and shavers/stroppers are unique and each will find facility in different ways. Having a honemeister honed razor and good strops, pasted and not, you may never need the hone or not for a very, veerrrryy long time, but again it's a personal thing. I guess the short answer is 'as required'.

X

I vote for the "as required" part too. Any pasted strop or hone removes metal. You only want to do this when you need to not as a second hobby when you are not shaving <g>. At first the posts here may sound like we spend all our spare time honing or stropping. Remember many of these guy are working with dozens of razors and ARE always honing.

I suggest you stick with a regulat paste strop unitl the razor starts pulling. Then on a pasted strop try your finest surface first and test shave. if not enough back up a little to a coarser surface. An option is to go to the coarser surface first for a very small number of passes, say 5 to 10 on a 3.0 micron, then maybe 10-20 on the 1.0 and finally 20-30 on something fine like 0.5 micron. This works for me most of the time. You could easily get by with just 1.0 and 0.5 micron only. Many like the 3.0 as it is similar in "strength" to the 8000 grit side of the Norton hone.

The main rule is hone or strop on pastes the minimum amount needed to do the job and then only when you must.

Tony Miller
"The Strop Guy"

i have just 0.5 paste from handamerica. i had a sample of some 0.25 diamond paste that really put a sharp edge on, and i liked it as it really got me close. what is the best or cheapest place to buy this stuff?

sam

Ray at Classic Shaving has most of the diamond pastes as well as the Dovo hard and soft versions and the Thiers-Issard tube type paste. I have used a few of them sparingly but only have real history with the diamond stuff. Lots more money but it works well and goes a long way.

For strops paddle are few and far between and that is why I mainly stuck with them for my products. I have vintage style 2 and 4 sided ones, a balsa model, a flat travel strop and am designing a cushioned 2 sided strop now. I also do hanging strops.

For hones, Classic Shaving for the Norton, Tilly for NOS barber hones and Hand American for it's bench type strop/hone combinations.

I'm sure there are a few other favorites out there too.

Tony