Thread: Your Preference - Pasted Linen/felt, etc. or Leather or Balsa

I generally use leather alone without pastes, but sometimes I'll go with leather all by itself, or both.

Originally Posted by ace

I generally use leather alone without pastes, but sometimes I'll go with leather all by itself, or both.

Huh? Oh, wait, funny!

Lots of different approaches. I'm not hearing any consensus and I can't say I've found the magic for myself. I most commonly use spray on CrOx .5 on felt for 15 trips or so, often followed by .1 CNB on felt. It sharpens the razor nicely for around five shaves.

Does anyone strop on linen, then do the pasted/sprayed felt followed by stropping on leather vs the alternative which would be pasted/sprayed felt, then linen then leather stropping? Anyone think there's a difference?

Cubic boron nitride on a paddle strop is keeping my razors going and giving my hones a rest. I got the Jende Industries spray bottle: excellent stuff.

I have never met a rock honed razor that couldn't be improved by pastes.

That being said I really like chromium, iron or cerium oxide on linen hanging strops.

Originally Posted by Disburden

I have never met a rock honed razor that couldn't be improved by pastes.

That being said I really like chromium, iron or cerium oxide on linen hanging strops.

Never used a high grit Nakayama?

Have you tried this system with and without using a razor?

Originally Posted by ace

I generally use leather alone without pastes, but sometimes I'll go with leather all by itself, or both.

Originally Posted by WW243

Have you tried this system with and without using a razor?

The without a razor mode does produce results. I have thought hard many a time about buying 8-12 more types of strops/materials, 5 or so carats worth of diamonds in various sizes, and a small crate filled with all the strop goop but have resisted and still get remarkably good shaves off of my leather!

The next experiment will be to think about buying more razors without actually pulling the trigger...