Quick newbie question.

[Henrik]

It´s all very hectic right now and I am positive that I could LOTS of answers by just browsing for a few hours on the following question.

I can handle a straight but I that was like 20 years ago and I did use a ordinary belt for this. Yep that was wrong apparently- so I have read. I really should have used a strop, I know. If anyone could place me in the right direction of where in Europe to get a cheap but good strop I would very much be obliged. I would like to have a proper entry to the world of straight razors. And hey- bretherens - have a peaceful and merry holiday!

 

[superdave1987]

Whippeddog.com poor mans strop is good its in the states but I got mine delivered to the uk quite quick or look at theinvisibleedge.co.uk which is in the uk

 

[superdave1987]

Also some recommend making a temporary strop from newspaper I think there a video on YouTube

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Hi,
get the poorman's strop from whipped dog. He is in the us but the price means it doesn't need to go through customs! 15 or 20 dollars if I remember correctly.

 

[Gamma]

Superiorshave.com has a very nice inexpensive strop listed.

 

[lukam]

http://www.rasiermesser-online.de/Schaerfen-Abziehen:::15.html
There also is a nice guy in Norway, but he makes high-end strops. Maybe he can make smth more entry level.. His name is Torolf a and his site is scrupleworks.com

 

[Henrik]

I say- what a great bunch of people you are! Thanks for the tips! I have been checking them all up- very closely.
I sort of leaning to the Invisible Edge strops. Why? The slightly pricier one have a linen backside that you "start up" the honing process with. Is the general consensus that these (or the ones with cotton backsides) are essential or at the least the ones that are prefered?

Lastly- am I fine with a strop only- or is it neccesary for me to add oils and other stuff to the coming order? (Please answer no)

 

[lukam]

You're good for now but eventually you'll have to check this http://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/razorhones.html out.

 

[Proinsias]

Is your razor shaving sharp? a leather/canvas strop won't so much hone an edge as maintain an already well honed edge.

If the razor has not been recently honed I would advise getting someone here to hone it - Jens is in Sweden, goes by the username 'honed' on this board and sharpens razors to something approaching a light sabre.

I'd rather have a sharp blade & a leather belt than a nice strop & a dull blade.

*if your razor is nice and sharp feel free to disregard everything I've just typed

 

[Henrik]

Had a first go with this little beast this morning. Might as well have used a butter knife instead. Thanks Proinias for the tip of the Swedish bloke. I will contact him- this razor sure does need some serious honing. Besides from the razor (Erik Anton Berg BTW) it looks fab really.
After this honing procedure-. can someone please answer my last question? A strop with linen/cotton backside or nehh- not really needed- go for an all leather..
And also about the paste stuff/extras. Please..
I know I am lazy and I would probably pick up the right answer after a few hours of browsing around. If anyone can give the push straight away.- I would very much be obliged.

 

[cpcohen1945]

You _need_ a plain leather, un-pasted, strop. A fabric strop (or fabric side to the leather strop) is nice to use before the leather strop.

Paste is abrasive. When your razor gets dull, and stropping isn't enough, you can put some paste ( chrome oxide paste, 0.5 micron, usually green) on a _different_ strop (or on a piece of balsa wood), and strop your razor on that (10 laps) to refresh the blade.

So you can wait to order the paste, or do it now. You will eventually (within a year) need something in addition to a plain leather strop.

. Charles

 

[superdave1987]

Had a first go with this little beast this morning. Might as well have used a butter knife instead. Thanks Proinias for the tip of the Swedish bloke. I will contact him- this razor sure does need some serious honing. Besides from the razor (Erik Anton Berg BTW) it looks fab really.
After this honing procedure-. can someone please answer my last question? A strop with linen/cotton backside or nehh- not really needed- go for an all leather..
And also about the paste stuff/extras. Please..
I know I am lazy and I would probably pick up the right answer after a few hours of browsing around. If anyone can give the push straight away.- I would very much be obliged.

Get the cheapest theres a good chance you will damage your first strop

 

[ladykate]

You can strop on a belt - and I have. However, it is nice to get a piece of finished leather that is 2" to 3" wide and 18 inches long or so. Figure out some way of securing one end so you can stretch it out and use it for stropping. You can treat it with belt dressing or just about any oil except an organic that might spoil (like butter). You only need to treat it infrequently - just rubbing it with your palm will be enough in most cases.

You can probably find a piece of leather locally that will work.

The linen strop is good for cleaning the edge and prepping it for stropping. It might not be entirely necessary. I use them at home but I don't use them when on the road and I get by just fine.

Do not put any abrasives on the belt you use for daily stropping. Get another piece of leather or balsa strip or similar and treat it with chromium oxide suspended in a drop or two of mineral oil. Put just enough on to cover the material after you rub it in with your palm. Wash your hands (chromium oxide is poisonous so don't lick your palms before you wash ;-}). Strop the abrasive infrequently although you can probably use it a lot without much of a problem. I strop mine regularly with an abrasive strop but I believe I'm over killing it - I just like to do it.

However, the start of all this must be with a correctly honed razor. Get that first.

 

[Henrik]

Again- I am really thankful for all nice tips and suggestions- just wanted you to know fellows. Darn nice of you. I´ll send my "butter knife" to a master of honing and I´ll buy that poor man´s strop from Whipped Dog. Seems like the proper way of trotting this path.

I am not that skilled to use an ordinary belt I guess.

 

[A0th22]

theinvisibleedge.co.uk +1