So I Just Bought a Dovo 6/8 Faux Tortoise Shell

**3am Shadow** · 09-25-2008, 10:05 PM

Now what?
Looking at a Tony Miller Strop.
How often do I have to strop if the razor's shave ready?

A hone?
How often must I hone?

A paste?
How often must I paste?

It's coming tomorrow.
Super excited.

**battlemonk** · 09-25-2008, 10:17 PM

Strop every time you shave.

Honing and Pasted Stropping, well, those are a continuum. The more often you use the pasted strop, generally the less often you'll have to go to the hone.

Your razor may not come shave-ready, unless you've sent it to a honemeister or some other way of ensuring that it is sharp and ready to go.

If you have a perfectly sharp razor, and you strop properly, you will feel a particular sensation with the razor. When it begins to "pull" and "catch" rather than gliding smoothly, it's time to go to the pasted strop, or perhaps the hone if it's particularly bad.

I myself haven't honed my razor yet, and I don't expect to for a while—not because it won't need it, but because I don't have the confidence in myself to do it, and will send it off to someone once I feel that it's gotten too far gone to use.

Enjoy your shaving, though. Hopefully it works well for you.

**3am Shadow** · 09-26-2008, 09:31 AM

What's a good pasted strop so that I won't have to purchase one for a while?
What's the difference between a pasted strop and a regular strop?

**Philadelph** · 09-26-2008, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by 3am Shadow

What's a good pasted strop so that I won't have to purchase one for a while?
What's the difference between a pasted strop and a regular strop?

Practice stropping with a butter knife before the real thing to make sure you get the technique right and don't ruin the edge before you even shave.

Any strop can be a pasted strop. Pastes are abrasive materials that can be applied to a stropping surface. When the razor is stropped with paste, it helps to slightly sharpen the edge. This is only necessary as a touch-up step instead of going straight to the hones to get your razor sharper. Some guys use the pastes once every so often to keep the edge sharp longer, some guys don't use paste at all.

A strop is basically leather. You NEED a plain strop without paste for before every shave. Make sure it never gets any paste on it. For pasted stropping you can use any regular strop, a piece of balsa wood, a plain piece of leather suitable for stropping applied to a piece of wood, a paddle strop or even newspaper. You pretty much apply the paste of whatever abrasive grit you want to use to any of the surfaces. There is an illustrated guide over at SRP.

**3am Shadow** · 09-26-2008, 02:18 PM

Thanks for the help guys.
My razor didnt come today :-(

**dwestenk** · 09-26-2008, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Practice stropping with a butter knife before the real thing to make sure you get the technique right ...

What would this tell you that you would know your technique was "right?"

**gugi** · 09-26-2008, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by dwestenk

What would this tell you that you would know your technique was "right?"

It will save you few cuts in the strop and possibly rolling the edge. I don't think there's any secret to stropping - keep the spine on the strop, the leather tight, and turn with your fingers not your wrist - doing it correctly is just a matter of muscle memory, hence the suggestion.

**3am Shadow** · 09-26-2008, 08:51 PM

I believe his question meant, when you're practicing stropping on a piece of bread, what would tell you that you're doing it right and what would be an indicator that you're making mistakes?

**gugi** · 09-26-2008, 09:37 PM

uhm, you don't practice on a piece of bread. you practice stropping on the strop. the only absolute test if you're doing it right is the shave with the razor after that.

this being said note that if you don't know what is the correct way to strop you better spend some time figuring it out. only *after* you are confident you understand the process you should attempt the actual action. however you will quickly find out that understanding something and actually executing it properly are two completely different things, hence practice with a blunt knife so that you get a chance to learn from practicing while at the same time not inflicting major damage to your razor and strop.

i did not think i have to be that explicit, but I guess absolute clarification is sometimes necessary.

**BigBubba** · 09-26-2008, 09:38 PM

If you mess up while stropping, two of the most common culprits are lifting the spine during the draw and nicking the strop on the turn.

Both of these would be noticeable while using a butterknife if you're paying attention.

You will also get a feel for keeping steady tension on the strop and using a gentle touch (two other culprits).

I hope that makes sense. I was drinking tonight every time "Senator Obama doesn't seem to understand" something and every time I saw McCain's upper teeth.

**3am Shadow** · 09-29-2008, 02:32 PM

You must have been wrecked.

**netsurfr** · 09-29-2008, 02:50 PM

Recommend that you strop about 60 passes every time before you shave. You can also strop a couple of dozen passes after you shave to make sure the edge is absolutely dry.

For a razor that you are just maintaining in top shape, I would highly recommend a yellow coticule. Howard over at www.theperfectedge.com has a nice selection at very reasonable prices.

You do not need to paste at all. However, I find that green paste (Chromium Oxide) makes a very nice final polishing for the blade.