Stropping a new razor
- Thread starter simmo3801
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I'd say that it says that so you can get a feel for what it should be like.
Initially when I started off with a str8 my stropping was poor and I actually dulled the edge while stropping instead of maintaining its sharpness, I guess that is quite common.
Try shaving a couple of times with it then stropping.
Initially when I started off with a str8 my stropping was poor and I actually dulled the edge while stropping instead of maintaining its sharpness, I guess that is quite common.
Try shaving a couple of times with it then stropping.
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Well, I don´t know why they would recommend such a thing. It can be a good thing to find out the difference from a sharp vs a dull blade though, like Nic says. I´ve heard a lot different views on how "shave ready" TI.s are, to start with though. But I also heard they´ve become much better lately and your blade seems to comfirm that. I wouldn´t skip stropping though, but that´s just me.
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simmo3801 said:My new TI razor came with a leaflet saying it only strop it after several shaves as it is shave ready.
Obviously that's a guideline but what are opinions on that?
It certainly is shave ready sharp
On the leaflet I got it is written that the blade needs to be sharpened after several shaves...I think it refers to stroping it on coarse leather side which has been "treated" with Thiers Issard sharpening/polishing paste...i do it approximately once per month, however I strop the razor on chromium oxide paste prior to every use, finishing it on a leather
I remember my TI was also decently shaving sharp, however after some 3-4 months of use, when I honed it for the first time, the result was noticeable better, it was like going up another level in terms of sharpness...and when I changed (some 10 months ago) from hanging strop to paddle strop it was like going up another level still...
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Hyperborean said:simmo3801 said:My new TI razor came with a leaflet saying it only strop it after several shaves as it is shave ready.
Obviously that's a guideline but what are opinions on that?
It certainly is shave ready sharp
On the leaflet I got it is written that the blade needs to be sharpened after several shaves...I think it refers to stroping it on coarse leather side which has been "treated" with Thiers Issard sharpening/polishing paste...i do it approximately once per month, however I strop the razor on chromium oxide paste prior to every use, finishing it on a leather
I remember my TI was also decently shaving sharp, however after some 3-4 months of use, when I honed it for the first time, the result was noticeable better, it was like going up another level in terms of sharpness...and when I changed (some 10 months ago) from hanging strop to paddle strop it was like going up another level still...
You use CrOx every time?
Am I doing it wrong? :roll: :roll:
Max
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Yes, but I didn't at first. I think I have been doing this for last 4-5 months or so, probably because I have gotten too obssesive with the sharpness, it's a sickness :evil: . ... usually I had been stropping it on chromium oxide once per week or two
ps: do you think it is bad for razor to use chromium oxide so often?
ps: do you think it is bad for razor to use chromium oxide so often?
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I was under the impression that the CrOx wasn't required until stropping with leather was not getting the edge back into shape, at which point either CrOx or a finishing or barber hone could be used to get the edge back.
If using the CrOx every time is working, I don't see any reason not to do it, but you'll be removing a bit more metal than just stropping.
Ian
If using the CrOx every time is working, I don't see any reason not to do it, but you'll be removing a bit more metal than just stropping.
Ian
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Mee too, but it seems to me that too much stroping (too many "laps") is detrimental to sharpness. Supposedly stroping realignes the edge...that micro burr...I prefer to remove it when it's just formed it by stroping the razor on chromium oxide...surely it does remove noticeable more metal than just stroping it on leather, but even so...I would rather shave with a certain razor (if I somewhat exeggerate) for example 10 years with very nearly perfect edge than a 100 years with less than nearly perfect edge
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Hmm. What goes on when a blade is stropped on plain leather isn't obvious to me, although the idea of the "fin" makes some sense. Neil has a lot to say about this in the sticky, where he introduces the concept of plastic flow, and my head starts to hurt.
In practical terms however, there is a fundamental difference between stropping on a pasted surface (which in my opinion is an extension of the honing process and not stropping at all) and plain canvas, linen or leather. The former removes metal, the latter works on what's there. What seems to be almost always the case is that stropping without paste will improve an edge. For instance, a newly honed blade which just scrapes through a hanging hair test will usually give a more satisfactory result after stropping, and the benefits are noticeable when shaving too. More on this for geeks only at coticule.be. :ugeek:
In practical terms however, there is a fundamental difference between stropping on a pasted surface (which in my opinion is an extension of the honing process and not stropping at all) and plain canvas, linen or leather. The former removes metal, the latter works on what's there. What seems to be almost always the case is that stropping without paste will improve an edge. For instance, a newly honed blade which just scrapes through a hanging hair test will usually give a more satisfactory result after stropping, and the benefits are noticeable when shaving too. More on this for geeks only at coticule.be. :ugeek:
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What Andy says ^^ (even though I´m no expert on honing). I can use the strop if a blade feels to pristine (I don´t know how to explain it good, sharp is good but sometimes the edge feels "scritchy" sharp) or like Andy said, to fresh of the hones and doesn´t give me the satisfactory shave I wan´t. This doesn´t happens often though, since I´m spolied with Neils edges
Edited: When I use paste or balsa or both combined, the edge starts to crumble fast and soon enough it´s time for the stones.
Edited: When I use paste or balsa or both combined, the edge starts to crumble fast and soon enough it´s time for the stones.
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Huh, I'm not claiming any expertise just yet, but there's been a lot of trial and error over the last few months Going back to the original subject, I'd always strop a new razor unless it came from Neil or Gàbor.
Going back to the original subject, I'd always strop a new razor unless it came from Neil or Gàbor.