Newspaper strop

I've been shaving with a str8 now for about six weeks. I bought my razor from SRD and it came to me very sharp indeed. Unfortunately, being a noob, that lasted until I gave the razor its first stropping. Too much pressure, lifting the spine. everything I was told not to do. Undaunted, I persevered until I finally got the stropping under control for the most part. The edge however never came back to what it was in the beginning.

Perusing the forums I stumbled upon some posts about stropping on newspaper. I wrapped a couple sheets around a flat piece of aluminum that I had machined for another project and gave the razor about 100 laps.

It Worked! It's not as sharp as it was when I received it but it's much sharper now. The razor doesn't drag hardly at all. I'll probably give another 100 or so then strop on my hanging strop tomorrow and give it another whirl. I'll probably have to send it in for a honing in the not to distant future but that day has been postponed for a few weeks now.

What a great resource these forums are! Thanks guys!

Rob.

Youth is wasted on the young... Sharp razors are wasted on the noobs.

Yep, newspaper is a good way of tweaking an edge. Glad you it worked for you..!

Are you getting close, comfortable shaves from the razor? If you're not then it may be worth making use of the certificate for a honing that came with the razor.

If the shaves are good though, I'd hold off on the honing for now and wait until the razor starts to pull or not shave as well.

Good luck!

The only pulling and dragging that I get is on the chin. Being a rookie shaver I think that technique may be the major part of the problem. It was pulling WTG on the neck before stropping on newspaper. Now it glides down the neck with the cool sound of whiskers popping as the razor mows them down.

I'll do 100 passes on the newspaper tonight and see if it smooths up even more.

Rob.

Is there a Wiki or thread on how to strop on newspaper? I couldn't find one. I see that there's one method outlined here, but are there other ways of doing it (such layering newspaper around a ruler, etc.)?

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Originally Posted by ehammers

Is there a Wiki or thread on how to strop on newspaper? I couldn't find one. I see that there's one method outlined here, but are there other ways of doing it (such layering newspaper around a ruler, etc.)?

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I've simply placed a newspaper on a flat surface and stropped. If you want to get a bit more out of it get some of the chrom-ox that ChrisL provides at a nominal fee in the classifieds. He does this as a public service rather than for profit. The stuff is really good on newspaper or whatever to improve an edge.

i just wraped my dmt hone around with some newspaper and did 200 laps (stroping motion)

100 were on letters only very lightlywith just the weight of the blade

and for the next 100 i changed the paper with another one from the same newspaper but with a picture as the stropping surface and a little more weight on the blade but not too much ...

i did NOT notice any difference... my blade is from SRD and i feel it needs a little more sharpness because it does not pass the HHT ( only if i insist with it it cuts the hair but on the 10th or so time i try cutting the hair and it leaves a little curl behind on the tip of the freshly cut hair -- is this wierd? )

How do you recommend i get this sharpness on to my blade without losing the fine edge lynn or don put on my dovo special?

i have the modular paddle with 0.5 diamond spray and CrOx at my disposal... help

thanks alot,
Iulian

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Originally Posted by iulian

How do you recommend i get this sharpness on to my blade without losing the fine edge lynn or don put on my dovo special?

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If you want to have a razor that is meant for cutting hanging hairs do laps on your modular paddle with diamond spray. If you want to have a smooth, close and comfortable shave forget about the HHT and shave with it as is. :)

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If you want to have a razor that is meant for cutting hanging hairs do laps on your modular paddle with diamond spray. If you want to have a smooth, close and comfortable shave forget about the HHT and shave with it as is. :)

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I understand :) so the HHT test is not the test of a smooth and very confortable shave ... did i understand this wright?

Thanks alot for your advice,

Regards,

Iulian

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Originally Posted by iulian

I understand :) so the HHT test is not the test of a smooth and very confortable shave ... did i understand this wright?

Thanks alot for your advice,

Regards,

Iulian

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I've gotten smooth and comfortable shaves with razors that did the HHT and with razors that didn't . It is not a prerequisite IME. If you hone your razor and try the HHT and it passes all well and good. If it does not pass but shaves smoothly and comfortably what is the point of worrying about something that serves no purpose ? The smooth comfortable shave is what we are after and if the razor is giving that the HHT becomes superfluous IMO.

So what I'm hearing is that newspaper stropping will give a finer finish on the blade than a leather strop. Or is NP stropping a way to bring back a somewhat muddled edge before leather stropping?

Thanks,

Larry

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've gotten smooth and comfortable shaves with razors that did the HHT and with razors that didn't . It is not a prerequisite IME. If you hone your razor and try the HHT and it passes all well and good. If it does not pass but shaves smoothly and comfortably what is the point of worrying about something that serves no purpose ? The smooth comfortable shave is what we are after and if the razor is giving that the HHT becomes superfluous IMO.

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Thanks alot i will remember that

Cheers

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Originally Posted by LarryP

So what I'm hearing is that newspaper stropping will give a finer finish on the blade than a leather strop. Or is NP stropping a way to bring back a somewhat muddled edge before leather stropping?

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Larry,

I'm brand new to straight shaving, but what I have gathered from the forum is that news paper is more abrasive than leather. So, my guess is to finish with leather before going to your face. Perhaps somebody with more knowledge/experience will chime in.

Eric

I'm just echoing an unpopular contributor, but have recommended the NP stropping for several that have had great results. This is for guys that don't yet hone. The big thing w/ the NP strop is the hard backing - such as a hone, plate glass, polished marble tile. I couldn't see any benefit after 70 strokes w/ very light pressure. Larryp asks about linen/leather after the newsprint. YES! After NP, go to a heavy use of linen and leather. I went to either the SRD P1 cotton (treated w/ starch and blackboard chalk - thank you Glen!), or real flax-fiber linen. Then a high-draw leather, such as latigo or buffalo, then either SRD P1 leather or shell (low-draw leather). I did 100 strokes each on linen and leather.

The hard backing for the NP keeps from giving a convex profile to the bevel, the way a pasted strop will. Its not a panacea, but for guys that don't yet hone, it can extend the time between honings.

Also - for OP - if you need a hand w/ edges, PM me. 'Just postage costs.

I remember Utopian recommending to strop on cardboard cut from a cereal box and to use only the inside of the box. There is very often some printing on the inside of the box.

I have tried it but can't remember the results. Haven't used it lately becuse lately I am finishing with oil on novaculite and Welsh slate.

Jerry
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I used newspaper before for stropping, if i remember correctly i had better luck with color newsprint, like store advertisement,
heavy on ink on newsprint, more abrasive i guess!!!

I have to admit, I do use 2 or 3 layers of newsprint every once and a while when between shaves. Right on the counter on the Lu sink.

that reminds me I was going to have a play about with putting Autosol on a paddle strop.....

Another newsprint stropper here! I can often refine a flagging edge with 100 strokes on colored newsprint. Going on the theory that maybe the colored inks are slightly abrasive, I usually use Sunday inserts, comics, etc., and try to use mostly greens-maybe there's some chromium oxide in the ink? Could be just voodoo, but it seems to work for me.

For my next experiment, I am going to compare edges between conservative vs. liberal-leaning newspapers. :rofl2: