Thread: Touch up strop or hone?

I need to touch up my Dovo but i need advise. I want to get a polishing hone or barber's hone but some are way too expensive. So i look at paddle strops and pastes. Both look like they will do the job but I need help choosing which one to get.

Early on I got a two sided paddle strop from Tony Miller with 1.0/0.5 diamond paste. I got it to get me past the 4/8k norton. I was very pleased with this set up for quite some time. Than HAD kicked in some time ago and well....

a pasted strop (or pasted paddle strop) will keep your blades going for quite a while... then again, you can usually get an old barber hone (genco, swaty) on ebay for <30 bucks, and that will get it done just as well if not better.

keep in mind that most old hones will need serious lapping.

Since you are new to this, I would recommend you start out with a pasted strop. There is way less chance of damaging the edge on your blade and you can play with that later on as you progress. I actually made my pasted strop with a piece of 1-1/2" leather, purchased from the local cowboy store, glued onto a piece of wood. Total cost 3.00. I use crox paste and get great results. Crox paste is .5 mic or about 16k. diamond paste .25 mic is about 60k. You could use either one on the strop but don't mix them. Although the .25 diamond paste gives a finer finish, it is widely reported that it is much harsher then the crox finish. I usually give my blades between 10 and 20 laps on the paddle and then test it on my arm or leg by holding the edge just above the skin and moving through the hair. It it grabs and pops the hair it is ready for the strop. Using this method when the strop only doesn't bring the edge back to life will extend time between honing quite a bit. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

Ray

Originally Posted by kooray83

I need to touch up my Dovo but i need advise. I want to get a polishing hone or barber's hone but some are way too expensive. So i look at paddle strops and pastes. Both look like they will do the job but I need help choosing which one to get.

Unfortunately this choice is purely subjective. It is easier to learn to use the paddle strop, but the barber hone does more work. I personally keep a barbers hone near my shave sink just for touch ups as soon as a razor is less than par. I've used the paddle as well but prefer the hone. Other guys feel the opposite, so I would go with whichever option seems most appealing to you right now and make plans to try the other at some point down the road, especially if you find whatever you choose to be slightly less than perfect.

sound advise wildtim
A small razor/barber hone is a cheap investment and will get the job done. Pastes on hanging or paddle strops is matter of preferance and can be as cheap.
I am of the opinion that a pasted strop is more subtle in action than a hone and your choice boils down to how much of a touch-up the razor is needing. They both have a place.

PuFF

To me a paddle strop just seems hard to use. The ergonomics that is. My crox is on balsa on pine- I glued 1/8" balsa to some 2x4 and lapped the surface then pasted. I used it like a hone. I might get a felt strop to paste one side crox and one side ceox though. To me the ergonomics of a paddle is all goofed up cus to hold something long by its end is a pain unless you're pulling it taught and its supported at the other end (hanging strops...) and so paddles are normally shorter which means more laps. Since I couldn't find a comfortable plan for a paddle I just made a 15" bench hone type thing. I think I'm gonna scrap it though and redo it using a hard wood, the 2x4 is bulky.

So in the end my advice is get a hanging strop with pastes/goodies, or a barber hone. Or make your own paddle. To me I just don't like the idea.

You'll eventually get a hone and then you'll be able to "feel" the difference with that method of sharpening.

I think most guys are either strop guys or hone guys. Personally I prefer to use a hone. Its the classic way to sharpen and I think does a better job especially long term. The only place I would use the strop is with a very few select razors I have which have very hard steel and even a touchup can be a long task on typical hones while a diamond pasted strop can get the job done way faster. Eventually I'll break down and get a diamond hone and then I'll be all set.

That said for a rookie a pasted strop isn't a bad way to go as long as your razors just need minor work and touchups. But Howard's correct. Eventually you'll get some hones.

I had quite a time getting my barber hones to work for me at all and relied on a pasted strop for some time. I think that's the best way to start and to branch out from there.

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