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I use linen, Latigo and shell for everyday stropping. When the blade starts to tug I will use an Illinois 6455 with SRD CrO followed by SRD canvas with 0.25 micron diamond spray (also SRD). It took awhile for the canvas/diamond spray to break in so now I can't remember how many razors and knives have been stropped. I would guess at least 20.
The Illinois 6455 has a shell strop and a sharpening strop. I have put five applications of CrO on this leather. It works great on any blade. Can't do pics right now. I have put about 50 blades on this strop
I have had very good luck with paste and diamond spray. Simply put, I want to avoid using a stone on my blades. But, when the need arises I touch them up.
Dave
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The answer is really Never. But I think I will in hopes that it will toughen up the strop against occasional cuts. I can do it, but can't avoid the occasional mishap if I'm tired or not alert.
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I have an SRD pasted strop with CrOx on it. The nap is pretty heavy and I've applied with the SRD crayon. I use it when my razors pull a bit. I also tape the spine when I take a razor to the paddle. Since the paddle does not give, it is my thought that the tape keeps the same angle as when it was taken off the finishing hone. I find it works very well instead of going back to hones.
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I don't have any pastes, but I've wanted to try them to at least see the difference coming off my Norton 8k and barber hone in terms of finishing. I know that there's a lot of debate about the usefulness of pastes vs. stones, but after a lot of reading, I'm not totally convinced that pastes only are the end-all-be-all, nor do I think that of stones as well. I think that most folks could find a very good blend of the two and have great shaves. I think of them like I think of my tools... each has a use and while I can use a flathead screwdriver as a chisel, and vice-a-versa, a chisel works much better as a chisel and a screwdriver much better as a screwdriver.
If I did have some pastes, I'd wager my experience would be much like everyone else's... a relatively high number. My logic is that if you impregnate the leather and the paste is never able to be removed, it's still there and still working, at least to a degree. With that said, it may require more stropping to achieve the same result as fresh paste, but who doesn't like stropping? :)
