What’s your “sure thing” progression?

[Steve56]

Just curious- does a denim strop (denim specifically, not canvas / linen) fit anywhere in anyone’s “sure thing” honing process or “touch-up” or “light maintenance”?

Except for coticule users who almost to a person prefer flax linen, I don’t think that there is any consensus on other fabric seconadries.

There are some folks who like thin, flexible leather for stropping, like roo, because they feel that the flexible leather conforms to the edge easier than a stiff plank of leather like Russian.

So there may be an argument for denim! Are you talking about a hanging strop or a board/paddle strop?

Cheers, Steve

 

[ClemsonTigerz]

Except for coticule users who almost to a person prefer flax linen, I don’t think that there is any consensus on other fabric seconadries.

There are some folks who like thin, flexible leather for stropping, like roo, because they feel that the flexible leather conforms to the edge easier than a stiff plank of leather like Russian.

So there may be an argument for denim! Are you talking about a hanging strop or a board/paddle strop?

Cheers, Steve

Hanging- I’m actively hand sewing one now because I felt it would be a nice addition and frankly not much else to do during lockdown- already restored a vintage soviet razor, reset bevels and honed my other razors- made 3 basswood strops for .5, .25, & .1 paste- a guy’s gotta stay busy, lol- so cannibalized a pair of jeans that were old, beat, & needed to go. I can make 3 viable strops out of it with good fabric. I just wondered where it got because I’ve seen them, I just wondered if anyone else used them- This would be hanging though I could do one of them on a board-

 

[ClemsonTigerz]

Except for coticule users who almost to a person prefer flax linen, I don’t think that there is any consensus on other fabric seconadries.

There are some folks who like thin, flexible leather for stropping, like roo, because they feel that the flexible leather conforms to the edge easier than a stiff plank of leather like Russian.

So there may be an argument for denim! Are you talking about a hanging strop or a board/paddle strop?

Cheers, Steve

Ye olde project in a nutshell-

I’m going to sew this, then roll the sewed edge to the center then iron the dog poo out of it.

At the top of the strop on both sides I’ll iron a denim patch on to strengthen the mounting sight.

it’ll have a faux leather handle- I’ll trace the handle of the hanging strop I have and just cut it and stitch a handle together at the “handle end” and then envelop the denim with the top part of the handle and stitch it on so it’s more sturdy-

From there I can either attach it to my “el cheapo“ first and only strop I own (GBS) or I can poke a hole at the top and drill out a hole in 2 metal plates, use a simple machine bolt and nut & washer to secure the top and it can be a stand alone- not really sure how I want to play that yet- but at any rate- I’m convinced either my leather strop sucks or I suck at stropping or both so I figured I’d give a different medium a go.

more info than you wanted I’m sure but that’s the scope- I just wondered where a denim strop would fit in people’s world & for what purpose / when etc.

 

[KrstGor]

I am confident in my La Petite Blanche with a slurry to set and refine the bevel and then a La Nouvella or other to further take the edge over. I prefer coticules as that is what I learned on B&B a decade ago and it has just stuck with me. I have so many hones that my sons will definitely fight over them once they start to shave. One is close. With my progression of the dilucot, all I have to do is watch the wave in front of the edge as I dilute and then bam sharp but smooth. Coticlues are preferred for me because I am focused on skin-friendly versus hyper sharp, which I value also.

Is this the method you're referring to?

 

[SliceOfLife]

My only sure thing for fabrics is that Felt Suuuuuuuuuuucks.

 

[bluesman 7]

IME denim is not very effective. It will be usefull if your ever want to experiment with pastes though.

 

[Seveneighth]

Is this the method you're referring to?

Hmmm. With respect this is better:

 

[Legion]

Hmmm. With respect this is better:

Yeah, that is closer to how I do it.

Any idea what stone Gary is using in that vid? Looks pretty sweet.

 

[Seveneighth]

Maybe @gary haywood remembers?

 

[gary haywood]

Yes I remember it was called burton series but basically les lat one side les lat and the side you see is what they call hybrid it was very hard like marble and produces very sharp edges

 

[gary haywood]

I use Naniwas super stones up to 10 k and finish with the 20 k Suehiro .

when I hone with coticule I don’t ever use slurry no more I just bring the edge up to 8k s/s to its absolute max and then use my coticule with water only and it works really well .

 

[Legion]

Yes I remember it was called burton series but basically les lat one side les lat and the side you see is what they call hybrid it was very hard like marble and produces very sharp edges

Cheers. Interesting rock.

 

[luv2shave]

My "sure thing" is the only progression I own. Norton 1k to set the bevel, then 4k, 8k, and finish on a Naniwa 12k followed by the 0.5, 0.25, and 0.1 micron balsa. May not be fancy. May not be "honemeister". But, I get a killer edge every time.

Reviving an old post, however where do you source those balsa strops and diamond sprays or pastes.

I have online options only.

 

[rbscebu]

Reviving an old post, however where do you source those balsa strops and diamond sprays or pastes.

I have online options only.

All is revealed here:

How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

lol camo

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Herrenberg]

My "sure things" are kind of in flux. I guess that's not surprising, since I got into straight razor shaving mostly because I was deep in the sharpening stone rabbit hole, and discovering to my chagrin that no kitchen knife or pocket knife needs anything higher than an 8K.

I am fully on board with the "Method" 0.5 micron/0.25/0.1 pasted balsa on acrylic strops (I got my acrylic from eBay, and my balsa in 36x3 lengths from hobby sources), but even that is in flux, because I am in the process of getting the materials to make some basswood-on-acrylic strops. Balsa has annoyed me for its tendency to go out of flat easily, even when stored, mounted on acrylic, in a drawer. My basswood strops for knives don't seem to do that. So, a new experiment.

I guess the real "sure things" are what comes before that final stropping phase, but it's hard to convey them in useful fashion. They're a pair of miracle JNats that put a beautiful flat edge, with superfine scratches on everything. But if I told you what they were, it wouldn't help (Nakayama Tomae and Nakayama Maruka), because they are named only after broad categories that do not pinpoint the characteristics that make them great.

My eternal struggle is with reaching the entire bevel. That makes me resist the whole idea of "sure things." I can take a razor through my finishing stone, and see a perfect bevel with its scratches under the microscope, then strop on the pasted balsa, and see that it's not reaching everywhere it should.So I have, just today, added a 36"x4"x1/16" 0.1 micron hanging balsa strop, which seems, so far, to fix that problem.

@Steve56 said something wise on another thread: honing razors is about solving problems. There are no sure things, just equipment and techniques that work well, but you always have to check to see what the actual result was. Often enough, if you are rehabbing razors especially, the result is not a sure thing created by merely having the right equipment.

 

[Ravenonrock]

Sure thing? My only thing. Manufactured stones from 1-12K. Cro-Ox on linen then finished on leather. Sure works for me.