Thread: What to buy?

Here's my dilema. My honing skills are absolutely pathetic. I have all the hones I need but every "touch up" I've tried on the hones required a trip to Medina, OH. A few of my razors need a touch up......they're sharp but haven't seen a hone in a year and I'm sure they're overdue.

I want to buy the SRD modular paddle strop set. My stropping technique is pretty good and I can use the diamond pasted strops for a touch up and most likely NOT screw that up. It leaves me with enough cash to buy a few more razors, but that's beside the point.

My REAL want is a Kanayama 90K, currently unavailable anywhere in the world. The only Kanayama 80K available worldwide is at Rasage Poulin. I can afford it. I'd probably have to talk to JimR about having a 90K made, but the cost will most likely put me well above the $450 mark......and that's if Yoshimasa Naomi would be willing to make one (I know, separate argument).

I've read about stropping the living daylights out of razors and there's nothing better than a Kanayama. I know, it's not going to be the same as hitting the diamond paste.

I'm confident the pasted paddles would better fit my situation.

If you had to choose between the two, what would you buy?

I'm considering both, but I want to limit everything to $400.

Thoughts?

Here's my take (And this is coming from someone with a tight money situation, so it's a little different from you)

Go with the Modular Paddle.

I know that, on a purely "Leather vs. Leather" basis, the Kanayama wins hands down... That's why you're paying 250-450 for it. However, IMO, the modular paddle (being both long, and wide [wider than the Kanayama]) is a lot easier for a beginner/somoene who is a little unsure of their talents. Also, though the leather is definitely better on the Kanayamas, I haven't noticed /that/ much of a difference between the paddle and the Kanayama in leather. What I'm saying is that the difference in going from a kanayama to a mod-paddle DEFINITELY won't hurt you, but the utility of going Kanayama to Paddle will DEFINITELY help you more than you can imagine.

Considering your budget, I would get the Modular paddle kit (It comes with 2 wool felt pads, a scrub -prestrop- leather pad, and a premium I -finishing- leather pad, along with a spray bottle of .5 micron Diamond spray [go light with using this stuff]) And then DEFINITELY Pay the extra 25$ to get an additional Leather pad in English Bridle leather. That stuff is FANTASTIC.

It's like buying a Ferrari or a standard SUV (well, the price difference is less massive, but you get the idea.) The Ferrari looks BEAUTIFUL and driving it is an absolute joy... But driving the SUV isn't really that much worse than the Ferrari, it just isn't as "luxury". However, if you downgrade to the SUV, you also get Trunk space, offroading potential, extra seats, storage room, etc, etc.

That was a lot of rambling... Suffice to say, if you want bang for your buck, get the Modular Paddle. That thing alone can do every task of razor maintenance except for stone/hone work (and the Diamond Spray on a felt pad delays the need for that too!)

Any other questions, or does any of that need to be cleared up?

Good Luck!

Cheers,
Jeremy

After much consideration, I'm getting BOTH. Tough choice there!

The 90K arrived today. Absolute work of art. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance, had to jump on it.

The paddle.....probably in 2 or 3 months.....maybe a month, my wife takes her vacation in a couple of weeks!

The more I feed this habit, the bigger it gets.......

Originally Posted by CableDawg

After much consideration, I'm getting BOTH. Tough choice there!

The 90K arrived today. Absolute work of art. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance, had to jump on it.

The paddle.....probably in 2 or 3 months.....maybe a month, my wife takes her vacation in a couple of weeks!

The more I feed this habit, the bigger it gets.......

Attaboy! You can never have too many strops! I've got my eye on a Kanayama too... Although probably a 60000 just so I'm not too scared to even use it!

Originally Posted by CableDawg

After much consideration, I'm getting BOTH. Tough choice there!

The 90K arrived today. Absolute work of art. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance, had to jump on it.

Oh Boy! Better show me that strop next time you pay me a visit!

I don't reckon I'll ever consider buying a Kanayama strop. As expensive as they are, I think it would be too traumatic if I were to nick it. Unfortunately, I still occasionally nick a strop, which is why I finally started making my own. I've been straight shaving for quite some time, and though I have no problem with honing and stropping, generally speaking, I still accidentally cut a strop every now and then. I think the problem is that stropping has gotten so routine that my mind tends to wander while I'm stropping. I'm always amazed at the fellows who use the same strop for years without ever nicking it.