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Thread: to paste or not to paste

  1. #1
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    Default to paste or not to paste

    I have been hearing a lot about CrOx paste on strops. I bought a french paste that was not good because it seems it had been at the dealer for a long time, presenting a thick layer of solidified paste. He said that by adding a little turpentine it would work. Any suggestions here would be appreciated.
    So I bought CrOx from SRD and that seems to work very well.
    Now the question is "to paste or not to paste"
    I hear divided opinions.
    The overall goal is to have my razors as sharp as they can get. I finish them with a coticule and after that I can either strop with CrOx pasted leather, micro fine honing compound on hose or both.
    I could also strop on a clean leather strop.
    If need be, I will include pictures later.

    Currently I do 50 passes on linnen with micro fine compound, then 50 passes on leather which had the same compound some time ago, but I have not refreshed it. After, 50 passes on leather with CrOx, clean the blade and do 50 passes on clean leather
    If some of the experts want to suggest what to do to improve on this process, I would welcome it.
    Last edited by mitmitzoom; 09-24-2018 at 01:07 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member blabbermouth OCDshaver's Avatar
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    I have never used a coticle so I can’t speak to its potential. But fifty laps on CrOx seems like a lot. When I did use pastes to finish, I would do no more than ten laps. If you need fifty, you’re leaving some of the coticle work on the table.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    I use Theirs Issard strop paste from The Art of Shaving on the canvas. 4 x marks running up the Strop. When the build up is too thick (about every 3 months) I just scrape off the excess holding a knife perpendicular to the Strop.
    Only have to touch up my razors once a year. Never have had a problem.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth eddy79's Avatar
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    That's a lot of pasted stropping. I would go coticule then 10 to 20 on crox then unpasted linen and leather. Use unpasted linen and leather daily and maybe 10 to 20 on crox once a week to keep it at peak performance. Shouldn't need more than that if your shaving and stropping is up to par.

    And a side thought. A lot of the compounds aren't as fine as you would think. It may be a step back from the coticle. A lot of compounds have much larger particles mixed with the fine.
    Last edited by eddy79; 09-24-2018 at 02:34 AM.
    My wife calls me......... Can you just use Ed

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    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
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    The trick to paste is in one word...

    The edge coming off a hone can be improved immensely by the "PROPER" use of pastes..

    Which paste and how you use it, can make a fine edge Harsh or a good edge Great it is all in the use and choice of paste to match your edge and face


    Honestly, I have never used paste to refresh an edge, but some people do with great success


    The best part about using a SR is the infinite possibilities to adjust the razor to your face, the most difficult part of using a SR is the infinite possibilities that can adjust the razor to your face
    All those possibilities can confuse people
    "No amount of money spent on a Stone can ever replace the value of the time it takes learning to use it properly"
    Very Respectfully - Glen

    Proprietor - GemStar Custom Razors Honing/Restores/Regrinds Website

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    When you apply paste to a strop, it is a irreversible process. Thus, rather than applying past to an expensive leather strop, i suggest applying the paste to either a fabric hanging strop or to a bench strop you can easily make yourself.

    You can use leather, wood like balsa or basswood/linden from your local hobby shop, or cloth from a fabric shop.

    If you want a solid base for the strop, you can purchase 3" x 12" glassed porcelain tiles (make sure they are flat and glossy) from a building supply store. You can also use wood if you want a lighter base, but you will need to sand it flat and smooth. You can then glue leather (either smooth side or suede side up), fabric or thin balsa or basswood to the base using either spray pressure sensitive adhesive, or glue sticks. Then apply your choice of paste or spray to the strop.

    The advantage of these DIY strops is that they can be constructed for under $10 each. Thus, you can try a variety of substrates and a variety of abrasives pastes, powders, or sprays: Chromium Oxide, Ferric Oxide, Cerium Oxide, Cubic Boron Nitrie, or monocrystaline and polycrystaline diamond are all possibilities. If you do not like the way one works, try another.

    I have a tough beard and sensitive skin, so I am trying to achieve a very keen, very smooth edge. What seems to work best for me is using a Coticule as a prefinisher, finishing on a finer hone than the Coticule (Vermio or Zulu Grey) and then using bench strops with 0.5 and 0.25 micron CBN pastes on microfiber cloth followed by 0.125 CBN micron spray on kangaroo leather. However, I am sure other options would work as well.

    Using a stropping length of about 8", I wipe the blade, make 25 laps at 0.5 microns and then wipe the blade so as not to contaminate the next strop. I repeat the process at 0.25 microns and again at 0.125 microns. I then strop the blade on linen and then on leather. Although I strop on linen and leather before every shave, when the edge no longer feels keen and smooth, I repeat the process on the bench strops. When that no longer keeps the blade satisfactory, I go back to the stones. The time between honings depends upon the toughness of your beard and how particular you are about the quality of the edge.

  8. #7
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    I use the same process as RayClem, except I have a 2-sided paddle strop with hard felt with diamond spray on one side and balsa with CrOx on the other.

    I alternate using a combo coticule and an Oozuku Jnat when I hone, but always finish on a Vermio before going to the pasted paddle strop. And, like RayClem, I use the paddle strop to refresh the edge when they need it.

    I can go a long time between honing even though I sometimes hone just because ...
    David
    “Shared sorrow is lessened, shared joy is increased”
    ― Spider Robinson, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

  9. #8
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Also as RayCLem suggested, I made two homemade bench strops using some scrap hardwood and 2 1/2” leather strips I got from a local leather shop and contact cement. I put CrOx on one and kept the other as is. The leather was cheap and not really of sufficient quality for final stropping of razors, but it allows me to check the edges well enough while honing (and not have to run upstairs where my good strops hang) and works great for knives. Total cost for two 12-inch by 2 1/2 inch strops was about $15.
    David
    “Shared sorrow is lessened, shared joy is increased”
    ― Spider Robinson, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

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    I was not familiar with the vermio but I went on the internet and did a little research. It seems like a very glassy stone. Apparently there is only one supplier??
    Do you use slurry or plain water?
    It is fun to learn these new things and eventually improve in your technique and tools of the trade, ultimately, to achieve the best edge for your face.

  11. #10
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    I got my Vermio from Griffiths Shaving Goods but I believe it is available from other sources, maybe not in the US.

    I use plain water and have been experimenting with glycerine and water. Griffiths suggest using glycerine provides a finer finishing. It is a highly polished stone and can be made even more glassy through lapping with a very fine diamond plate.

    I tried using the supplied slurry stone, but it does not raise much slurry and reports I have read from other sources suggest the slurry does not have much impact on the final result.

    IMO for the price, it is a very good finisher.
    David
    “Shared sorrow is lessened, shared joy is increased”
    ― Spider Robinson, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

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