Sharpening & Stropping Your Straight Razor
To keep your blade in the best condition we recommend a
combination of honing and stropping.
combination of honing and stropping.
Honing your Razor
1.Wet the honing stone with water and
pour on more at intervals whist honing.
2. Make sure the honing stone is on a flat
surface and hold it steadily with your other
hand.
3. With your dominant hand, hold the blade
with your thumb and forefinger. Place the
blade dead flat on the hone, so that the
edge of the blade and the spine touch the
hone.
4. Using equal pressure push the razor with
the edge leading, until you get to the end
of the hone. It is crucial to hone the whole
edge in one stroke, so if your razor is wider
than the honing stone, move the blade in a
diagonal or curved line across the hone.
5. When you arrive at the end of the hone,
flip the blade over on it's spine and push it
back again
6. Repeat this process 10 to 20 times.
1.Wet the honing stone with water and
pour on more at intervals whist honing.
2. Make sure the honing stone is on a flat
surface and hold it steadily with your other
hand.
3. With your dominant hand, hold the blade
with your thumb and forefinger. Place the
blade dead flat on the hone, so that the
edge of the blade and the spine touch the
hone.
4. Using equal pressure push the razor with
the edge leading, until you get to the end
of the hone. It is crucial to hone the whole
edge in one stroke, so if your razor is wider
than the honing stone, move the blade in a
diagonal or curved line across the hone.
5. When you arrive at the end of the hone,
flip the blade over on it's spine and push it
back again
6. Repeat this process 10 to 20 times.
Stropping your Razor
1.After honing the blade, you’ll need to
strop it on leather to completely whet the
edge. In addition to stropping after you
hone the blade, use 5 to 10 passes on the
strop before each shave.
2. Lay the razor on the strop with the spine
leading and the blade completely flat.
3. Drag the blade across the leather. Drag
the blade in a diagonal fashion so that the
entire edge is treated, and use an “X”
pattern, as you do when honing the blade.
4. Once a month, condition your leather
strop with a strop paste. This will keep it
soft and in the best condition. Like your
straight razor, your leather strop can last a
lifetime if properly maintained.
1.After honing the blade, you’ll need to
strop it on leather to completely whet the
edge. In addition to stropping after you
hone the blade, use 5 to 10 passes on the
strop before each shave.
2. Lay the razor on the strop with the spine
leading and the blade completely flat.
3. Drag the blade across the leather. Drag
the blade in a diagonal fashion so that the
entire edge is treated, and use an “X”
pattern, as you do when honing the blade.
4. Once a month, condition your leather
strop with a strop paste. This will keep it
soft and in the best condition. Like your
straight razor, your leather strop can last a
lifetime if properly maintained.
Please Note:
Stropping is meant to smooth the invasively rough edge you get when honing your blade - stropping alone will not sharpen your blade. Incorrect stropping will blunt your Razor.
Stropping is meant to smooth the invasively rough edge you get when honing your blade - stropping alone will not sharpen your blade. Incorrect stropping will blunt your Razor.
WARNING!
These instructions are for guidance only. Always follow any particular instructions your hone might provide. If you have never used these methods we advise you to practice until you are comfortable with the movement before attempting it on the blade.
These instructions are for guidance only. Always follow any particular instructions your hone might provide. If you have never used these methods we advise you to practice until you are comfortable with the movement before attempting it on the blade.