Thread: Fire Ash II

Originally Posted by mparker762

ack! Mine was disastrous. I've tried it twice now and both times dulled the blade. If I use the other side of the linen then all is well. Maybe Partagas ash is finer than Punch ash...

That's weird.

I said 'partagas paste' for alliterative effect. In fact it was a cuban cohiba.

You were probably kidding about partagas v. punch, but for what it's worth I've noticed some kinds made dark ash; others make whitish-grey. The difference in color is pronounced, and I wonder if there could indeed be a difference in 'grit.' In any case this cigar makes whitish-grey ash. Very dense insofar as 2-3 inches of ash held on at a time while I smoked it. But pure in the sense that there were no unburnt leafy bits or gummy residue, and no real smell to speak of. Like I said in my previous post, I can't tell for sure what effect the ash-on-linen is having because there are too many factors, but the shaves are great. I can say for sure it isn't dulling my blades.

Go figure.

Great shaves are my only result too. The ash I use is whitish gray as well.

That could be significant; my ash was gray. I removed it this morning - I enjoy honing, but I was getting tired of honing this particular razor...

FWIW I believe cigar ash is much finer than wood ash, the brand of cigar is of no consiquence. Cigerette ash will also work much the same, just there is less quantities in a cigerette.
Cigar ash and wood ash is about the finest gtrit abrasive you can find and has loooong been used as a polish on fine furniture. If you get a water ring ona good piece of furnatire a couple drops of wood alcohol (I think) and cigar ash will polish it out- depending on the finish. Usually shelac (which is alcohol soluable) and Laquer are on the furnature I am referring to.

Search in furnature restoration and refinishing sources for more info reguarding it's abrasive properties. It comes up as a 'handy home tip' on home shows and such regularly.

They also use powdered limestone as an abrasive in furnature refinishing.

GREAT THREAD
It's been 18 months since I visited the site and I returned to find new ways of strop conditioning. This thread is quite inspiring. Going back a few pages I suspect that it is the carbon element of the ash which active in providing the final edge (perhaps because the steel is carbon steel). I guess this hypothesis could be tested by rubbing charcoal on the linen side of the strop .... It is a purer form of carbon than ash
As for the leather side I've tried all sorts of conditioners but I'm now going to try rubbing a butter/charcoal mix on the leather side. Sounds wierd but so did ash. I have an aversion to bought strop paste because I don't know what's in it and I'm always looking for that "edge".