Need some guidance on maintaining an edge

[bluemantra]

I recently got back my razor and plan on getting another one or maybe two. I just started and really love straights and see myself wanting to exclusively use straights in the future. I've been doing some reading and I'm a bit uncertain on the path I should take.

I have a strop with a linen component. It has been suggested that I use pastes instead of a finishing stone to maintain the edge. What kind of pastes should I get, CrO2 and .5 micron diamond paste? Should I go with balsa wood or can I apply these 2 pastes to the one side of linen? Or would money be better spent on getting a Coti or a similar finishing stone? I would like to one day do my own honing too, just an fyi. I've been looking at the superior shave to get my items too. I just want a good starting point with a good foundation.

Thanks for all your help gents.

-Justin

 

[Leche]

Personally, I find that CrOx is good to extend the life of an edge but not a stone replacement. Balsa is nice, cheap, and easy but a strop can be used also. CrOx shouldn't be part of your daily routine and you should never mix different pastes. If you're heading to honing you should get a stone, but with CrOx you can hold off on that for a bit.

 

[superbleu]

Plus one to the above post.

If you see yourself getting into honing, might as well get a Coti now if you can afford it.

Crox on balsa is dirt cheap so you should probably get this weather or not you get the Coticule.

 

[Fbones24]

I have never really liked using pastes to maintain my straights. Some swear by them, some ignore them completely. I am part of the latter group.

I found that the easiest way to maintain my straights and a good intro to honing was a naniwa 12k stone. It is a lot more expensive than your other options, but it is the best way to learn to hone and it will work as a finishing stone and a stone to touch up.

A coticule is great and I love mine, but any natural stone will have a larger learning curve.

 

[bluemantra]

Thanks for all the advice!! Forgot to mention that I wouldn't be using either the stone or pastes on a daily basis. Just when I felt it needs a touching up to bring back it's sharpness. I might get the balsa wood from Larry and look into stone in the mean time. If I wanted to hone would a Norton 4/8 combo and a 12k finishing stone be all a need to hone myself assuming I kept my razors in good shape and weren't needing to do an eBay restore?

 

[Fbones24]

Thanks for all the advice!! Forgot to mention that I wouldn't be using either the stone or pastes on a daily basis. Just when I felt it needs a touching up to bring back it's sharpness. I might get the balsa wood from Larry and look into stone in the mean time. If I wanted to hone would a Norton 4/8 combo and a 12k finishing stone be all a need to hone myself assuming I kept my razors in good shape and weren't needing to do an eBay restore?

For the most part, a 4k, 8k and 12k will be more than you ever need unless you plan on doing restoration. The problem arises when you start buying stones, for some reason, they become more addicting than the razors they are being used to sharpen......you will want more!

 

[superbleu]

Norton 4k/8k and C12K is a good start, also need to get something to lap the Nortons with to keep them flat. If you ever get a chip or need to reset a bevel you will need a 1K stone also.

 

[Seraphim]

Some find that Dovo white paste on the canvas as part of daily stropping helps greatly extend the need for touchups.

 

[Chimensch]

I would start with a barbers hone from Larry Andro. That will get you set up cheap and keep you going for a long time. You may never need anything else. After that, a coticule is a great stone. I don't like pastes because sometimes they work great and sometimes they screw up the edge.

 

[bluemantra]

I have never really liked using pastes to maintain my straights. Some swear by them, some ignore them completely. I am part of the latter group.

I found that the easiest way to maintain my straights and a good intro to honing was a naniwa 12k stone. It is a lot more expensive than your other options, but it is the best way to learn to hone and it will work as a finishing stone and a stone to touch up.

A coticule is great and I love mine, but any natural stone will have a larger learning curve.

I was just reading on the superior shave that the naniwa 12k is a great stone, but can require quite a bit of maintenance due to its softness and has a tendency to absorb metal from the razor. Have you found this to be true and how do you deal with this?

Here's my plan:

1)Get the Balsa wood with CroX now from Larry;
2)In a month or two pick up a naniwa 12k stone or a Coti for finishing and touch ups or possibly a barbers hone;
3)A norton 4k/8k combo.

How's the plan look for my road to honing?

 

[Fbones24]

I was just reading on the superior shave that the naniwa 12k is a great stone, but can require quite a bit of maintenance due to its softness and has a tendency to absorb metal from the razor. Have you found this to be true and how do you deal with this?

Here's my plan:

1)Get the Balsa wood with CroX now from Larry;
2)In a month or two pick up a naniwa 12k stone or a Coti for finishing and touch ups or possibly a barbers hone;
3)A norton 4k/8k combo.

How's the plan look for my road to honing?

That plan is looking fine.

As far as the naniwa 12k. I have never had any issues with it. I imagine if you are honing 1,000's of razors like some, that could be an issue. However, I think for our needs, this should not be a concern.

 

[gull]

I would get some Crox on balsa for now. Later, get a barber's hone.

Then keep going and hopefully you won't need anything else.

Please for the love of god don't contract HAD. I thought I would be done with just a barber's hone, but now I'm contemplating getting a Coti, a DMT, and a Naniwa 12K

 

[global_dev]

I would get some Crox on balsa for now. Later, get a barber's hone.

Then keep going and hopefully you won't need anything else.

Please for the love of god don't contract HAD. I thought I would be done with just a barber's hone, but now I'm contemplating getting a Coti, a DMT, and a Naniwa 12K

take gull's advice.. i thought a coticule was all i needed, and i still believe it , but somehow a DMT duo-sharp, a CK12, a bunch of lapping film with a surface granite plate showed up in my house, plus there may potentially be a full-on naniwa SS set on it's way to me..

 

[Wid]

Just touched up a razor with the Naniwa 12K, 20 laps. I still went with a pasted strop (20 laps) after and had a very nice, comfortable shave. I like the pasted strop as it seems to tame an edge ever so slightly.

 

[Legion]

I use CrO on balsa for edge touch ups and as a final pass in my honing progression. IMO that is all you need until you get into actual honing. You can buy some stones then.