What's new

Section 6 - 5, Finishing via abrasive pasted strop....

Finishing via abrasive pasted strop

full


Finishing a razor using a paddle strop is probably the quickest and easiest method of finishing a straight razor, and preparing an incredibly fine/polished edge. You can use a pasted hanging strop, or a pasted paddle strop, however a pasted paddle strop is MUCH better than a hanging strop for this purpose as it will be more consistently flat, and have no give. In this example, I am using a 4 sided paddle strop, but the method is the same for all pasted strops.

Preparation – after you’ve finished honing the razor on your hone(s) before touching the razor to the strop – be sure to first thoroughly wash and dry the blade. You do NOT want water on your leather strop – nor do you want the water mixing with your abrasive paste on the strop, making a mess. Once your razor is dry – you’re ready to continue.

What micron? Well, this depends… if you didn’t do such a hot job honing (or you are refreshing a tired edge), you’ll want to start with a more aggressive paste, such as a 3 micron diamond paste. If you did a pretty decent job honing – start with 1 micron, and if you did a stellar/good job honing start with .5 micron diamond paste.

Step 1 – Place the razor on the strop, touching the spine of the razor to the strop first, then lightly rolling the spine so that the edge and spine now lay flat on the strop. Since you are stropping, NOT honing – you are going to lead with the spine instead of the edge (as if you were back-honing) as if you were to lead with the blade, you would cut your strop, and damage the edge of the razor – meaning you’d have to go back to setting the initial bevel/edge. Since most pasted strops are as wide as the razors blade, you’ll have to use the “X” pattern.

Step 2 – Using NO pressure, leading with the spine, and keeping the razors spine and blade as flat as possible, slide the razor across the strop in a diagonal manner (see picture below) to polish the entire length of the blade.

full


full


full


Step 3 - Roll the razor, picking the edge of the razor off of the strop, and turning the razor around in the opposite direction.

full


full


full


Step 4 - Perform a DIAGONAL stroke the same manner as in step 2, yet in the opposite direction, you have just made an elongated “X” across the strop as the two strokes (one in each direction) combined to look like an “X.” Step 2 and 4 combined are considered 1 complete stroke or pass. Do approximately 30 passes/strokes (both directions).

full


full


full


full


Step 5 – When you are done with a grit/paste, you must thoroughly wipe off the spine/blade with a dry paper towel to remove any paste of metal residue prior to moving onto another paste/grit or your plain/un-pasted strop. You will sometimes be able to see residue come off of the blade onto the paper towel (see picture below) – you do NOT want this contaminate your plain (un-pasted strop) or a different grit/micron paste. If you get 3 micron paste on your 1 micron side, you’ll have the two grits mixed greatly reducing your ability to create an increasingly finer edge at each drop/reduction in grit.

With a paper towel in hand, use your thumb and forefinger to grip the spine of the razor and slide the paper towel down the spine to remove any residue from the pasted strop…
full


If you can see residue come off of the spine onto the paper towel, wipe it off again (as done above) until you cannot see residue coming off of the blade onto the paper towel…
full


Next – lightly strop the razors edge (both sides) several times on a clean portion of the paper towel to remove any paste/residue from the blade/edge of the razor.

Now you’re ready to move onto a finer grit, or onto a plain/untreated strop!

PROCEED TO THE NEXT SECTION OF THE GUIDE - Section 6-6, Sharpness Tests Vs. Edge Uniformity Tests - Bevel Creation Guide

BACK TO THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I think two of those circular arrows are going the wrong way? This whole tutorial is great, though. That's why I'm still up at 4am. :w00t:
 
I think two of those circular arrows are going the wrong way? This whole tutorial is great, though. That's why I'm still up at 4am. :w00t:

ACKKK!!! you're right! NICK!! (he was the one who photoshopped in the arrows - and I was the dolt who was supposed to double check that they were correct) :biggrin: The arrows have been fixed :)
 
ACKKK!!! you're right! NICK!! (he was the one who photoshopped in the arrows - and I was the dolt who was supposed to double check that they were correct) :biggrin:

We're gonna hafta kill 'im. :lol:

Listen, because of this whole guide to straight razors, I was honing a razor in a dream last night. And I don't even own one!
 
Top Bottom