Thread: Paste question??

Ok I have been in the Library reading on hones for touch up and pastes for touch up. I would like to get a hone for razor touch up in the future but for now I am thinking of going with a paste. My paste question is this, I have several colored pastes lying around that I use for meta polish those are white and brown in color and I believe one is like a maroon. I also have a yellow that I use on my carving knives with my knife strop. So are any of these acceptable to use on my straight for touch up? I don't want to damage anything and I have a free re hone with SRD but if I can just use one of these pastes to get me a bit more use then I will but if I am only going to cause more trouble than good I will send it back to SRD. I appreciate any advice as always and Thank you.

Would have to know the names of the paste to be able to give an answer or micron size.

But for a quick touch up you can use graphite on leather or paper. What you do is rub a number 2 pencil all over a piece of paper. You want a good build up. You can then rub the paper all over a leather strop to transfer it. You could also use locksmith graphite.

If I remember correctly you can get the appropriate pastes from whipped dog for $3.00.

Well to be honest I don't think I have the box the bar pastes came in any more I have had them for several years, the yellow one came from Flex cut I know that much. I will give the graphite a shot I appreciate the info. My pocket knives don't make me a bit nervous sharpening them and trying something new but I don't really want to screw up a $200 razor. Might be a silly question but does the paper used make any difference? Just notebook or something else. Thanks Castel33

You could just try newspaper as well. Stack 3 or four 3" wide strips together and lay them on something flat and using only the weight of the blade. You can tape one end and hold the other so the paper doesn't fold up on you.

I have always used printer paper but I would think the notebook paper would be fine.

Most of the bar paste are made from the right stuff but the particle sizes are to big for finishing razors.

Maybe, it depends, try it…

Maybe, which of the greased polishing compound you are talking about and what is in it. Most greased compounds are designed for a completely different purpose. What is in it?

It depends on what you are trying to achieve, for razors, paste can add keenness or smoothness, some both.

Try it, what is the worst that can happen, you have to get the razor honed? Really no, don’t try it unless you have other razors and want to experiment, and are aware you may have to have your razor honed.

So, the kinds of compounds you are talking about are designed to polish for keenness or looks, (shiny metal) most contain a combination of abrasives with sharp and aggressive grits of varying size to cut quickly. Most contain Aluminum Oxide, Diamonds and other aggressive cutting compounds, or a combination. Guaranteed, they have all been tried by members here…without success.

In addition to the difference in the compounds formulation for use on knives and tools are for keenness, no though is given to comfort, tools and knives are not going to be used on your face. Your vegetables, meat and wood are not screaming as you cut them, well maybe they are and we just can’t hear them… Where’s PETA when we need them?

A razor needs to be keen, much keener than knife or tool edge, but more important, it must be smooth and comfortable on the skin. Sharp is useless without comfort, for a razor edge. And a razor edge is way thinner that a knife or tool, so aggressive cutting grit will cause large chips in the edge and then you are shaving with a serrated edge.

In short, for razor use, paste are either for comfort or keenness, and both are of a much smaller grit size, more uniform in size and shape, and have a proven history of use with razors.

For hundreds of years Chromium, Cerium, and Ferrous Oxides have been used for comfort, polishing an edge to reduce the stria height and make a straighter edge. Most recently Diamonds and CBN have been used for keenness and some comfort down to .10um grit size. And there are any number of other natural paste that have been used for years, soot, lead, chalk, ink, and many, many others. Use razor quality Chrome Oxide, not the hardware or woodworking store “green” stick, they are not the same.

So the real question is what are you trying to achieve… and how much time do you have? You may find yourself using one paste for keenness and another for comfort… Yes, it is yet another rabbit hole, and you have master stropping first…

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Maybe, it depends, try it…

Maybe, which of the greased polishing compound you are talking about and what is in it. Most greased compounds are designed for a completely different purpose. What is in it?

It depends on what you are trying to achieve, for razors, paste can add keenness or smoothness, some both.

Try it, what is the worst that can happen, you have to get the razor honed? Really no, don’t try it unless you have other razors and want to experiment, and are aware you may have to have your razor honed.

So, the kinds of compounds you are talking about are designed to polish for keenness or looks, (shiny metal) most contain a combination of abrasives with sharp and aggressive grits of varying size to cut quickly. Most contain Aluminum Oxide, Diamonds and other aggressive cutting compounds, or a combination. Guaranteed, they have all been tried by members here…without success.

In addition to the difference in the compounds formulation for use on knives and tools are for keenness, no though is given to comfort, tools and knives are not going to be used on your face. Your vegetables, meat and wood are not screaming as you cut them, well maybe they are and we just can’t hear them… Where’s PETA when we need them?

A razor needs to be keen, much keener than knife or tool edge, but more important, it must be smooth and comfortable on the skin. Sharp is useless without comfort, for a razor edge. And a razor edge is way thinner that a knife or tool, so aggressive cutting grit will cause large chips in the edge and then you are shaving with a serrated edge.

In short, for razor use, paste are either for comfort or keenness, and both are of a much smaller grit size, more uniform in size and shape, and have a proven history of use with razors.

For hundreds of years Chromium, Cerium, and Ferrous Oxides have been used for comfort, polishing an edge to reduce the stria height and make a straighter edge. Most recently Diamonds and CBN have been used for keenness and some comfort down to .10um grit size. And there are any number of other natural paste that have been used for years, soot, lead, chalk, ink, and many, many others. Use razor quality Chrome Oxide, not the hardware or woodworking store “green” stick, they are not the same.

So the real question is what are you trying to achieve… and how much time do you have? You may find yourself using one paste for keenness and another for comfort… Yes, it is yet another rabbit hole, and you have master stropping first…

Well my concern is this, I stropped and shaved I had about a three or four day growth don't remember which. My concern is I may have rolled my edge, this is my first straight razor and it did not seem to shave very smoothly for me like it has the last 15 or 20 times I have used it. So I was looking into something I can try before sending back to SRD for a touch up. I don't know that I have rolled my edge I strop my knives after sharpening but this is my first forte with a hanging strop, I am used to a board strop and I about went that way with this but then the more I thought about it I thought I want to use a hanging strop so I will learn that. I fear I may have learned a lesson just not the one I want to learn I also have stones at home but I don't really know that I want to send my razor down any of those stones so that is why I was asking about the pastes I have and I am glad I did. Really the only one I use on my knives is yellow in color and from Flex cut a carving tool company so I was going to try the news paper deal when I get home. My stropping procedure is 20 to 30 laps on the cloth side and then 50 to 60 on the leather and that is every time before I shave. I have a Latigo 3" SRD strop. Hell might be that I just had a crap shave that day and got myself all worried but honestly it didn't feel the same and that is what has me concerned. Thanks for the advice Euclid440

So, your experience is not uncommon, in fact very normal. The problem with maintaining a razor is you have to learn to strop… first. And folks do not understand just how fragile a razor edge is. Lift the spine just once and you rolled the edge, then it breaks off and now you have a chip in just 2 strokes.

The first rule of repairing a razor edge problem is stop and look at the edge with magnification. Find out what the problem is, then fix that problem.

You can buy a 60x lighted loupe for a couple dollars and then look at the edge. If you have a large chip stropping will not fix it, stropping on a pasted strop will not fix it, unless the stropper is experienced, with the right paste.

Here is a good thread on what to look for, post 41 has photos of what to look for. My first honing project.

You can make a pasted strop with razor quality Chrome Oxide on a piece of cardboard, but that may not solve your problem.

Well I believe that I am going to go the safe route and not experiment with this since it is currently my only razor. I think I am going to send it back to Lynn and just have it gone over. My limited/lack of experience with SR I don't feel like this is a good idea currently to try and correct what ever is happening so before more damage occurs Ill ship it out. Thank you all very much for all this information, it is really great having so many people willing to help.