Results 1 to 7 of 7
Like Tree8Likes
  • 4 Post By Slur
  • 1 Post By sharptonn
  • 1 Post By PaulFLUS
  • 1 Post By sharptonn
  • 1 Post By stoneandstrop

Thread: This time my strops worked

  1. #1
    Senior Member Slur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Athens
    Posts
    899
    Thanked: 118

    Default This time my strops worked

    I was never a fan of strops and pastes because they never really gave me better results compared with my stones. I always had a smoother edge out of my finishing stones than of the paste. So, I rarely used strop and paste.

    But this particular razor is an exception. I was never able to get a decent shave with this razor even if I tried to hone it many times. Maybe it was the excessive hone wear of the spine that was there when I bought it and I never managed to fix it with my hones, maybe it is the quality of the steel, maybe something else.

    The last time I used it, I stopped shaving with it, because it was horrible on my skin and I changed it with another razor.
    Then I thought to give my strops a try. Ten minutes stropping on the green paste and then on the leather.
    Today I tried it and for the first time it gave me a decent shave. Not my best, but decent.

    This time, the strops did a better job than the hones. Maybe, because when honing, the edge is very much dependent on the spine. Problematic spine will give you problematic edge. This maybe is not the case with the strops. Maybe the strop can treat the edge even it the spine is bad. I am not sure. Just wanted to share.
    Attached Images Attached Images    

  2. #2
    Razor Vulture sharptonn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Lone Star State
    Posts
    26,073
    Thanked: 8612

    Default

    Yes, I have learned to try a CroOx pasted strop on those rough ones which I cannot get smooth on the hones.
    It can do wonders at times. I suppose the steel has an issue. Does not seem to take much.

    Glad you posted this. I have a victim in mind.......
    Slur likes this.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Slur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Athens
    Posts
    899
    Thanked: 118

    Default

    Thank you for sharing sharptonn. It's nice to see another member with a similar experience on this.

  4. #4
    Senior Member blabbermouth PaulFLUS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Gainesville, FL
    Posts
    6,384
    Thanked: 657

    Default

    I wonder if hemp or flax might help with that one since stropping improved it. Might be worth a try.
    Slur likes this.
    Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend. PR 27:17

  5. #5
    Senior Member Slur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Athens
    Posts
    899
    Thanked: 118

    Default

    Good idea Paul. But all my strops are leather. If I find some linen I will try it. Thank you.

  6. #6
    Razor Vulture sharptonn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Lone Star State
    Posts
    26,073
    Thanked: 8612

    Default

    My CroOx-pasted strop is Balsa!
    MikeB52 likes this.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    canada
    Posts
    370
    Thanked: 43

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Slur View Post
    I was never a fan of strops and pastes because they never really gave me better results compared with my stones. I always had a smoother edge out of my finishing stones than of the paste. So, I rarely used strop and paste.

    But this particular razor is an exception. I was never able to get a decent shave with this razor even if I tried to hone it many times. Maybe it was the excessive hone wear of the spine that was there when I bought it and I never managed to fix it with my hones, maybe it is the quality of the steel, maybe something else.

    The last time I used it, I stopped shaving with it, because it was horrible on my skin and I changed it with another razor.
    Then I thought to give my strops a try. Ten minutes stropping on the green paste and then on the leather.
    Today I tried it and for the first time it gave me a decent shave. Not my best, but decent.

    This time, the strops did a better job than the hones. Maybe, because when honing, the edge is very much dependent on the spine. Problematic spine will give you problematic edge. This maybe is not the case with the strops. Maybe the strop can treat the edge even it the spine is bad. I am not sure. Just wanted to share.
    Some steel is tempermental and will only hone well on particular mediums.
    If you have a variety of hones I would only go to about 8k then switch to a natural. Try Coticle from that. If it doesn't work try a slate type Escher or Welsh, Vermont, try Jnat, Arkansas etc. It will work well with one of them guranateed. It is just "fussy" steel.
    For me, virtually ALL razors have a stone that will give them a fantastic edge. You just need to figure out which one.
    I have two (out of many) that will take a great edge on anything. I use those for testing stones.
    If you try to test a stone with a razor that is even a little particular you are not getting a true read of what the stone is capable of unless of course it just happaned to like that stone.
    I'm sure this is why so many people try a stone and have no love for it because the razor they used doesn't like it.
    Just my opinion.
    Slur likes this.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •