Help! Newbie needs help with strop information

Hello to everyone on the forum. I have been using a straight razor now for about six weeks. My razor is a DOVO 5/8" stainless steel blade. It was pre-sharpened by a honemeister in Montreal, Quebec. I have an Illinois #127 leather strop. On the other side of the leather strop is a linen strop.

My understanding is that a SS blade requires more stropping then a carbon steel blade.

Could someone please tell me when and what the linen strop is used for? I generally run my palm over my leather strop before each use and I strop my DOVO at least 50 times before I shave. I was told my razor should not need any touch up by a honemeister for several months. Is this correct or should I purchase some honing paste and purchase another leather strop in order to rub the paste into it and then touch up my blade.
Also, I have not been able to cut a hair, (just out of curiosity) THT with my razor no matter how I try. Is this an indication that my razor is not actually sharp enough to shave with? I realize the controversy over the THT test but I still wonder about it. I have been getting good results shave wise with my razor.

All comments and suggestions welcome.

Kind regards
Chris in Red Deer, Alberta

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Originally Posted by shikano53

My understanding is that a SS blade requires more stropping then a carbon steel blade.

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I have not noticed that to be the case, but I probably do more stropping strokes than most people do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shikano53

Could someone please tell me when and what the linen strop is used for?

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The linen is used prior to stropping on the leather.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shikano53

I was told my razor should not need any touch up by a honemeister for several months. Is this correct or should I purchase some honing paste and purchase another leather strop in order to rub the paste into it and then touch up my blade.

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It depends on your beard, how often you shave, and how effectively you use your razor. If you don't want to spend the money on another strop you could paste the backside of your regular strop, or buy a cheap balsa paddle strop to put paste on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shikano53

Also, I have not been able to cut a hair, (just out of curiosity) THT with my razor no matter how I try. Is this an indication that my razor is not actually sharp enough to shave with? I realize the controversy over the THT test but I still wonder about it. I have been getting good results shave wise with my razor.

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Stop wondering about it, and stop worrying about it. :)
As long as the razor shaves ok, that's what counts.

Thanks for the information. That is what I wanted.
Shave is good!

Everything HNSB has said is good, the suggestion I would like to make is that you find a good barber hone to maintain your edges.

I like the HHT because it is fun, not because I am concerned with the results. For some reason the better the results of the HHT the worse my shave.