Thanks for all the replies and good info!

Yes, I agree that it's good to experiment and just go out and try new things, while exercising caution and using spare equipment, so as not to ruin the good gear. I had done some research about this before bringing it up to this forum, and had found info indicating it works on knives, and I had heard about using baking soda to clean and hone, but no info yet on stropping razors. I guess I was just hoping someone could give me some feedback if they had already tried it before.

Based on the comment about baking soda being 75-275 micron, and also the fact that this is my first and only straight razor and I'm still relatively knew at this art, I'll wait a bit before I start to experiment with "out of the box" ideas... As for the snail mucous, I don't think it has any abrasive properties, but I use it every day in my post-shave routine, and it does wonders for the skin

What about the red Dovo paste? Would anybody recommend going from the red paste, directly to the face, or should I really wait until I can find some CrOx or other 1-micron-or-less compound to finish the blade? I live in a small town, so I'd have to wait and order it online...

Thanks again for all the info and tips! Great forum, it's one of the main reasons I decided to take the plunge into the world of straights!