Thread: first time on the balsa

so last couple shaves my razor has been acting up. i got probably 10 shaves with it and it was just obviously pulling.

i honed it up on 3 micron and 1 micron balsa strop and then ran 30 on leather. i think its actually a little sharper than when i got it.

is this about normal for a razor needing touch ups? currently i only strop on leather for daily passes.

I dunno about 3 micron Diamond paste. Pretty rough stuff. Even 1.0 is not really best for refreshing. Good you got results, but I feel 0.5 or .25 would be better suited to refreshening a shaver. Just don't over do it! 10 laps, weight of blade only, strop on fabric/leather and try a shave test.
JMO!

ok note to self.

the vendor said 20 strops on 3.0 20 strops on 1.0 and then 30 on leather. now for my next noob question, If my razor wasn't shaving as smooth as I like against the grain could it be that difference in micron size?

Some purport to substituting honing with diamond paste. It would seem this "vendor" is of that persuasion.
While I do not subscribe to this, I would say, in general, if diamond paste is to be used by a new shaver to refresh a previously good shaver, give it 10 on the 0.5, strop it 50 on fabric and 100 on leather and see. BUT, if you have gone 20 on 3.0 and 20 on 1.0, all might be lost until the stones are found again! I suppose it could not hurt to try, but diamond pastes are a slippery slope, if used in excess and if too aggressive levels are used. This goes with more coarse and finer micron levels! Again, JMO

The pastes that I have for touching up a blade are .3 and .1 micron. Are you sure that your decimal point is in the correct place? That sounds incredibly excessive for touch up pastes, IMO.

now don't I feel like a dolt. they are .3 and .1 thanks texas

The most paste you should need after a fresh honing is about 5 laps on Chromium Oxide .5 micron. If it doesn't shave at that point, you are not finished honing. Check the bevel.

Jerry