To paste or not to paste...and a honing question too!

Hi folks:

So I have a handful of great straights and all is well with them but I feel a few are getting a bit dull and need some touching up. I always do the standard stropping before shaving and a few laps after. I have no interest in ever fully restoring a razor (at least not for the forseeable future), all I want is to maintain my current razors so, my question: should I paste up the linen side of my strop with .5 paste or should I get a whole other strop thats solely dedicated to the paste?

Also, I was talking to Lynn about this and he said that its possible to maintain razors with a pasted strop and a 16k hone (I want a Shapton), so I'm looking to pick one up, however I have to honing experience, how can I go about the honing keeping in mind I just want to maintain a razors edge?

Thanks!!!

I would suggest a paddle strop for your paste.

To use is the same as your everyday. You would do 10-20 laps, strop on linen and then leather and test edge. if the edge isn't brought back repeat . If after the second time it isn't working then go to the hone.

With the hone you do almost everything the same you do stropping just that you lead with the edge first. You would start with 5-7 laps strop linen then leather test shave. If edge is not back repeat till you get a good result once you get a good result do 10 laps on the crox to give the edge that little bit extra.

Cool thanks Castle. So would you recommend I first start with a pasted paddle strop and if I still feel like I need more edge, pick up a high grit hone?

That is how most guys that use paste do it. It is an effective combination.

As to the grit of the stone needed anything over 8k will be effective. I have a barber hone I use. A lot of the guys like the naniwa 12k but if you really like the shapton 16k that should work to.

The big thing to remember that when you get into paste and hone less is more.

A loom strop is also a good option. They typically come with a green pasted side and a plain leather side. If that doesn't do it, then a you an try a high grit barber hone.

Get crox or .5 micron Diamond paste. Also get a cheap separate leather strop for less then 20usd.
Work in the crox or Diamond paste on the backside if the strop. You are.good to go.
Getting a 16k shapton just for maintenance is crazy.
Crox and leather strop you can propably Do for 15usd and it Will hold a lifetime.

If you like to maintenance hone then get a barber hone, there is a decent number of barber hones that are really good.

If i was you i would go for a cheap leather strop and Diamond paste

Thanks guys, I'll pick me up a separate strop and some paste and go for that. If I feel like I need more, then I'll pick up a hone.