Introduction
This page was created from Joel's Interactive Guide to Straight Razor Shaving and from this thread[1].
Finishing with a pasted strop
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 four 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.
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.
Finishing
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). 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 not 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.
Step 3
Roll the razor, picking the edge of the razor off of the strop, and turning the razor around in the opposite direction.
Step 4
Perform a DIAGONAL stroke in 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).
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 or 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.
If you can see residue come off of the spine onto the paper towel, wipe it off again (left) until you cannot see residue coming off of the blade onto the paper towel.
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!
