Thats it!

[Frank Shaves]

I apologize for being academic, but I am confused about the terms to hone and to strop, and I cannot find the answer on the Internet.

I understand that to strop is to realign the edge of the blade, and to hone is to remove material to sharpen the edge. If I move the edge of the blade in the opposite direction I use to shave, am I stropping the razor? And vice versa, if I move the edge of the blade in the same direction I use to shave, am I honing the razor?

The reason I ask is if I use the above definitions of to hone and to strop, is there a difference between honing a razor on a 1.0 micron stone and stropping a razor on 1.0 micron diamond paste? I would think that there would be a big difference, but I have never tried.

 

[rbscebu]

I apologize for being academic, but I am confused about the terms to hone and to strop, and I cannot find the answer on the Internet.

I understand that to strop is to realign the edge of the blade, and to hone is to remove material to sharpen the edge. If I move the edge of the blade in the opposite direction I use to shave, am I stropping the razor? And vice versa, if I move the edge of the blade in the same direction I use to shave, am I honing the razor?

The reason I ask is if I use the above definitions of to hone and to strop, is there a difference between honing a razor on a 1.0 micron stone and stropping a razor on 1.0 micron diamond paste? I would think that there would be a big difference, but I have never tried.

Using whetstones or lapping film for honing is often done edge leading although others prefer edge trailing, a bit of both, or circular type motions. Using diamond pasted balsa strops is always done edge trailing so as to not cut up the balsa wood.

Technically, using diamond pasted balsa strops is honing as you are polishing the blade's bevel, although most refer to it as stropping as the motion is the same as stropping on clean leather to realign the blade's edge. Using a pasted strop is actually honing.

In a nutshell, honing is a process that removes steel to sharpen and polish. Stropping is to realign the edge.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Got it - very helpful, @rbscebu. Just after posting my question, I watched a video of a person using circular motions on a coticule stone. It is now becoming very clear that there is a whole lot to the larger topic of straight razors.

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

Everyone starting out gets confused about the hundreds of views on razor honing/maintenance.

If your starting point is a shave ready razor that you can comfortably shave with, you need nothing else than a .1 micron balsa strop and a leather strop. Pasted balsa will not improve a dull razor, unless you are prepared to do thousands of laps which is crazy.

If you maintain the edge by stropping 50 laps after each shave on the balsa and 50 on the leather, you can theoretically maintain the edge indefinitely. Assuming that it's not been stropped on balsa before you got it, you will notice that the edge only gets better with time. Some feel that it is excessive to strop on the pasted balsa after each shave, and they are probably right. My view is that I don't mind doing it instead of waiting until the edge needs it, and the amount of metal you remove is so minute that one razor would probably last a lifetime.

 

[Frank Shaves]

If I choose to do 50 laps at 0.1 micron after each shave, should I let the razor rest for 24 to 48 hours before the 50 laps at 0.1 micron or do the laps immediately after shaving?

 

[xmacro]

Resting seems to be a myth; unless you're The Flash and able to hone it fast enough to heat it to a temperature that can reform the metal, you're good

 

[rbscebu]

If I choose to do 50 laps at 0.1 micron after each shave, should I let the razor rest for 24 to 48 hours before the 50 laps at 0.1 micron or do the laps immediately after shaving?

I do mine immediately after and then let it rest for at least 168 hours, but that is part of a M7DS .

 

[hcoop112]

Ok ..so...ive gone through the 1k 4k and 8k stones....the strop is here...now i must wait until later or tmo to find out if i have done it right *breathe*

 

[global_dev]

Have you done any testing of the edge at 1000? What about shaving some arm or leg hair to test?

 

[hcoop112]

did it with the arm and it was like butter...smoother and sharper than what it came to me as..how much sharper....hard for me to tell as i did it fairly light

 

[rbscebu]

The final true edge test is the shave. Enjoy it and we look forward to reading about how you go.

Each SR shave will get better for you. After about 20 or 30 you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Congrats on your honing!

 

[hcoop112]

ok so i shaved with it...and the results.... 1. I did not nick myself once 2.i need to learn to move my hand on different areas e.g chin and lip...3. I need to use a little lighter pressure when honing ive noticed some spine wear amongst other areas :\...3. I think i need to move up a stone to have a comfortable shave maybe a 12k naniwa....it wasnt horrible or super bad..but i think it can be better..now i notice 10m later my skin is a bit raw in areas i had to use more pressure on

 

[rbscebu]

ok so i shaved with it...and the results.... 1. I did not nick myself once 2.i need to learn to move my hand on different areas e.g chin and lip...3. I need to use a little lighter pressure when honing ive noticed some spine wear amongst other areas :\...3. I think i need to move up a stone to have a comfortable shave maybe a 12k naniwa....it wasnt horrible or super bad..but i think it can be better..now i notice 10m later my skin is a bit raw in areas i had to use more pressure on

Your learning! We all went through it and you have at least been thinking about what was happening, why it was happening, and what you can do to improve the result. Congratulations on your first!

The 12k Naniwa with just LIGHT (or should that be no) pressure should show some improvement in the edge. Once it does, give diamond pasted balsa strops serious consideration.

How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop

lol camo

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[hcoop112]

I will look into making one see what i have around the shed or maybe go into town to see if i can find something decent to make it

 

[rbscebu]

Don't skim the instructios. Follow them to the letter. Otherwise you will be wasting you time, effort and money.

 

[Frank Shaves]

As one rookie to another (I only have 7 shaves with a Feather AC SS on my belt), congrats on your shave! Watching videos helped me with hand position and skin stretching, and putting alum on your fingers is a game changer for the skin stretching.

I have no experience with honing and stropping yet, but I did a lot of reading over the weekend. There seems to be a general consensus about going from 1 to 4 to 8 to 10/12k (about 1.0 micron) for a new edge or bevel. See:

What's your hone progression?

Figured I'd start the day with a couple good threads. as I'm still a newbie. I know they are constantly changing. Ill start, Here's my current progression. King 1k Norton 4k Norton 8k Coticule

www.badgerandblade.com

I suspect that this plus stropping on a hanging leather strop may have been acceptable in the past (before FedEx and the Internet), but most modern shaving enthusiasts now want to go beyond 1.0 micron down to 0.25 or even 0.1 micron and, therefore, paste on a fixed strop (like balsa wood) from 0.5 to 0.25 to 0.1 micron.

What I did not realize until last night was how rare and expensive the stones are to go beyond 1.0 micron. That was a real eye opener!

Keep us posted.

 

[Frank Shaves]

This thread is also worth reading:

Progression for diamond paste

Hi All What would be the best progression to use with diamond paste? Just an example 0.25 0.50 then 1 micron? The other question is which diamond paste is the most consistent and best quality I am in Australia. Thank you

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[hcoop112]

2nd shave down and it wasnt as bad as yesterday...still not satisfactory however...set up my strop on a hook...getting a naniwa 12k tmo then ill work on making a balsa strop

 

[CCR]

What sux is when you run out of stuff to hone, then it's back to ebay in search of a nice lot of razors Ha!