Just curious to see how many people use the above listed after sharpening/honing a razor. For the people that do use it, knowing often would be good to know. If you use other or have a paste that you want to shout out feel free to do it in the comments.
Who uses paste/film/treated strops following a stone?
- Thread starter Christian1212
- Start date
Definitely White Lightning on occasion but I use it on hot-pressed 100% cotton watercolor paper.
If I had enough leather laying around I would definitely try it on that as well as some kind of linen component but I just don’t have any extra material for experimentation right now.
If I had enough leather laying around I would definitely try it on that as well as some kind of linen component but I just don’t have any extra material for experimentation right now.
Nah, just the stone and clean strops here.
When I was first starting I did sometimes use pastes, but that was because I was new and always trying to chase maximum sharpness, without fully understanding that sharp is only one part of what makes for a comfortable shaving razor. Now I am more experienced (and have way more stones) I can most always get a more pleasing edge off a natural stone than pastes.
When I was first starting I did sometimes use pastes, but that was because I was new and always trying to chase maximum sharpness, without fully understanding that sharp is only one part of what makes for a comfortable shaving razor. Now I am more experienced (and have way more stones) I can most always get a more pleasing edge off a natural stone than pastes.
I went down the pasted balsa line first and found that a) I hated stropping on them*, and b) I didn't enjoy the shaves off those edges.
Now I only use pasted strops for my knives, which don't go anywhere near my face.
* Standing there with the thing hanging in front of me trying to do those stupid x-strokes made me realise that there had to be a better way, even if it meant spending a small fortune on rocks...
Now I only use pasted strops for my knives, which don't go anywhere near my face.
* Standing there with the thing hanging in front of me trying to do those stupid x-strokes made me realise that there had to be a better way, even if it meant spending a small fortune on rocks...
I’ll use a pasted strop every so often just to have something different. Black Dovo paste on denim, works well.
B
bmiller3230
I tried pasted strops and balsa wood. I hated the edge--just felt really harsh to me. Just water, a hone, a slurry stone, linen, and leather for me...
I use Purple Haze about 90% of the time but not after Coticules or Charnley Forrest, I like for the character of those two hones to come through.
I‘ll run one particular razor for 10 laps before every use on a balsa strop loaded with CrOx as an experiment of sorts. Always a comfortable shave. Otherwise, I go from a coticule to leather. I keep the balsa handy for touch ups as needed, which is not often.
I will use CroOx on linen, to bump up an edge further down the road. Coming off the stones it’s poly webbing and clean leather. I didn’t like using the poly webbing when I first got it, very rough feedback. I’ve persisted and think it’s functional and perhaps has tamed a bit with use, or could be my imagination. Or I’m using the appropriate amount of pressure now.
That who’s idea it was. Scott sent me a piece of denim to try. Turned me on to the Dovo paste.
Flax/leather. I do want to start playing around with pastes again at some point. I liked the herold black crayon on denim. Did the crox thing for a little bit but I don't think the crayon was the best quality.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
I got a piece of the ‘denim black’ too, it’s good stuff.
I still use diamond balsa, albeit not after every shave. I don't particularly like the super sharp edge from using 0.5, 0.25 then 0.1u.
Once the edge tones down to what I like, I'd give the razor a number of laps on the 0.1 to refresh the edge. How many laps depends on the razor. The Swedes take about 60 or 70 laps, the Germans somewhere around 50, and the Sheffields about 40 or so, but more often. I am yet to refresh my Rigarazors so will have to experiment with those.
When I acquire a new to me razor, I will take it through a full film and balsa progression to attain the sharpest edge I can get and use until it gets comfortable. Then move on to the system in the second paragraph.
Always strop on clean roo skin before the shave though.
Once the edge tones down to what I like, I'd give the razor a number of laps on the 0.1 to refresh the edge. How many laps depends on the razor. The Swedes take about 60 or 70 laps, the Germans somewhere around 50, and the Sheffields about 40 or so, but more often. I am yet to refresh my Rigarazors so will have to experiment with those.
When I acquire a new to me razor, I will take it through a full film and balsa progression to attain the sharpest edge I can get and use until it gets comfortable. Then move on to the system in the second paragraph.
Always strop on clean roo skin before the shave though.
I keep a couple razors going on paste/compounds for the purpose of testing long term effects. Just about getting ready to dump that project because I know what I need to know at this point.
But in general, I usually only use abrasive compounds on cutlery and tools.
But in general, I usually only use abrasive compounds on cutlery and tools.
>Diamond pasted balsa progression after my last stone.
>Light (couple dozen laps max) linen (or cotton) and leather right before shaving mellows the edge perfectly for me.
>Regular edge maintenance on 0.1μ diamond balsa (3 or 5 dozen laps with very light touch). I seldom touch up on a hone.
I have a leather bench hone charged with green polishing compound for tools. Of course, I had to try it once on a shaving edge. Horrible.
Shop grade abrasive compounds can be disappointing for razor work....
I finish on 3 thin balsa, 50K, 100K, 200K, 20 laps each after I finish on my black shadow. This has always given a good clean pleasant shave for me.
I just tried using a surgical arkansas with oil but can't quite get a smooth shave from it after my black shadow.
I know it's me at the moment and the small surgical I was trying to use so I'm going back to the pasted balsa for now.
I plan on getting a naniwa 16K next to see how it does against the balsa, I recently bought a 3k naniwa and really like it.
I just tried using a surgical arkansas with oil but can't quite get a smooth shave from it after my black shadow.
I know it's me at the moment and the small surgical I was trying to use so I'm going back to the pasted balsa for now.
I plan on getting a naniwa 16K next to see how it does against the balsa, I recently bought a 3k naniwa and really like it.
>Diamond pasted balsa progression after my last stone.
>Light (couple dozen laps max) linen (or cotton) and leather right before shaving mellows the edge perfectly for me.
>Regular edge maintenance on 0.1μ diamond balsa (3 or 5 dozen laps with very light touch). I seldom touch up on a hone.
Same here Tanuki, haven't used a stone for touch up, 10 or so laps on my 200K balsa then clean leather has been working.
I'll add here while I'm thinking about it, couldn't use the balsa on my rigarazor, made it way too aggressive. But I haven't had to use more than leather so far.
I believe I'll rehone it to my progression when the time comes.
>Light (couple dozen laps max) linen (or cotton) and leather right before shaving mellows the edge perfectly for me.
>Regular edge maintenance on 0.1μ diamond balsa (3 or 5 dozen laps with very light touch). I seldom touch up on a hone.
Same here Tanuki, haven't used a stone for touch up, 10 or so laps on my 200K balsa then clean leather has been working.
I'll add here while I'm thinking about it, couldn't use the balsa on my rigarazor, made it way too aggressive. But I haven't had to use more than leather so far.
I believe I'll rehone it to my progression when the time comes.
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