Thread: stop paste, is it necessary?

I've been stropping without using any paste on the linen side of my strop. Is it necessary to use it, or would I get a better edge if I did use it?

No, it's not necessarily. In fact you don't want pastes on your daily strops. A lot of guys use them as part of their honing routine, but they aren't recommended for daily use.

Welcome to SRP!

I end my honing routine coming off the shapton 16k and go onto a balsa wood paddle strop (piece of balsa wood placed on desk) pasted with chromium oxide but just use leather for daily stropping....


I believe some folks might keep a pasted hanging strop in their kit for a touch up every week or two if you don't have a razor rotation/feel like dragging the hones out? (guessing on the time frame here as personal preference/shaving style/steel temper...)

Originally Posted by richmondesi

No, it's not necessarily. In fact you don't want pastes on your daily strops. A lot of guys use them as part of their honing routine, but they aren't recommended for daily use.

Welcome to SRP!

Yes, Welcome to SRP. Exactly what Rich say's. You do not want paste on your daily strop. You want to have it virgin. If you can find an old strop, or my favorite, a paddle, you can paste it with some Chromium Oxide, or some Diamond Paste, .50 is about right. You can use that to touch up your blade, like you would a Barber hone. I sometimes use pastes, after honing to give my edge that extra keeness. The only thing with pastes is, they cannot be used on a regular basis as this will lead to to edge rounding....

Originally Posted by flyfishingta

I've been stropping without using any paste on the linen side of my strop. Is it necessary to use it, or would I get a better edge if I did use it?

It depends what type past are you asking for.
Pastes similar to stones. they have different indications.
Some pastes you can use sharpen your blade Some will not have sharpening ability.
Lets say dovo white paste will not hurt your linen side of strop. Only function it will do is make the edge get heated faster.
You can use it safely on your linen side of the strop.
In the other hand if you put diamond .5 paste on your linen side then you cannot use that linen everyday stropping purposes.
hope this helps.

so only use a pasted strop when the blade has lost its edge, but not far enough to need a good honing is that right? been using My straights for about a year now, without needing to have them honed yet. a few minutes on the linen side about once every two weeks, and a good stropping on the leather side about every other day, and they seem to be doing great.

zib did bring up a good point from the hone addicts that continued use of paste can lead to edge rounding.... believe I've heard of talk of pastes leading to concave fin edges also? gotta be something in the wiki about that or honing forum...

A year wow congrats! sounds like you have your shaving/stropping technique DOWN PAT some folks can seem to keep them sharp "forever"...

I found the key is to take your time, and not rush it. keep the strop taught, and make smooth strokes. hasn't failed me yet.