Stropping on grocery bags

[Harlan Barnhart]

The latest copy of "WOOD Magazine" (don't laugh, I don't pay for it, they have sent if for more than a year) there is an article on chisels. The author mentions he uses water stones to 12,000 and then strops on brown paper from shopping bags. Anyone tried this?

[Ted Calver]

Yes. I routinely use brown paper grocery bags to strop chisels on and also to burnish a great shine on turned items like pens and pendants, IIRC it is considered to be the equivalent of 2500 grit.

[Andy Hsieh]

never heard of using it for tool edges - straight edge shavers do this sometimes

[Tom Winship]

Funny story; when I was a kid, my dad shave with a straight razor. He tried double edge Gilettes, and even a Sunbeam electric, but always went back to his straight razor. I had some of his razors after he died. Never could get them sharp enough to shave with. Now I think I can with stropping and the green stuff. Problem is, I can't find his razors. I don't remember him ever stropping with brown paper bags. Seemed like he only put it on the oil stone maybe once a month.
The maddest he ever got at me was when he whipped me one time with the strop and I had Levi's on. The rivets marked the strop. He didn't do anything about that, he was too angry.
Tom

[Andy Hsieh]

I prefer straight shaving - much more enjoyable but everything you know about sharpening edge tools is different to achieve a shave ready edge

with chisel/ plane blades etc 8000 is ok to stop but straight edge razors require up to 12000 in a pyramid fashion plus stropping on linen and leather

I have heard of people also using newspaper for the final strop as well

[harry strasil]

on Okinawa the barbers used their hands for the final strop, and in boot camp I had to shave twice a day to please those in charge. On Oke, shaves were a quarter and somehow they shaved my beard below the skin level and I didn't need a shave for at least 2 days. They used black small water stones to do the honing with. I still have one I purchased while there.

[harry strasil]

The instructor had me dry shaved in boot camp because of my quick beard growth, really cut me up something terrible, tender skin/tough beard, I had to go to sick call I was bleeding so bad, and then I couldn't shave for 2 weeks, really upset the JERK we had for a Company Commander, I had to shave twice a day after that to keep him happy. He really had it in for me after that, especially since he got chewed out royally in front of us all for butchering me up so bad. I got even when he came thru Long Beach Recieving Station enroute to another command, I was on Medical Hold and was in charge of the recieving barracks duty roster. I can't type here how I got even, but it has something to do with a 1st class sub machinist mate and the waves barracks heads. LOL

[george wilson]

The hand is considered the ultimate strop.

I never shaved myself with a straight razor,but had to shave another guy. We were making my"Musical Instrument Maker of Williamsburg" movie. This young guy who was in a scene showed up unshaven after the first shooting he was in. He HAD to look the same,so I took him upstairs and stropped one of the straight razors I used to cut green wool broad cloth(pool table cloth) for harpsichord dampers. The razor was already very sharp. It left no fuzz when cutting the wool.

I shaved him clean without cutting him!!

[Harold Beck]

I do routinely use brown paper to rub out spray lacquer. works out great for smooting the finish.

HB

[jerry nazard]

I have a piece of brown paper cemented to a thick piece of glass. I use this with green compound/mineral oil for a few strokes after the 6000 stone. Works for me!