| An Introduction to Sharpening-Pastes | | | | surface must be sufficiently rough or grainy to hold the |
| | | | paste. With too smooth or hard a surface, the paste |
| Thiers issard “Bio-Diamond” Diamond | | | | will simply be wiped off with each pass of the blade; |
| Sharpening-Pastes and Chromox Finishing Paste | | | | not only wasteful and expensive, but ineffective. The |
| Ref. Bio-Diam 6 --Coarse-Grit 6 micron (Yellow | | | | smoothest leather surface (of your paddle or hanging |
| colored)—for: heavy refining of edge direct from the | | | | strop) should be reserved for either Chromox-paste |
| hone; aggressive action or restoring. | | | | application or use of an un-pasted strop in a final, |
| Ref. Bio-Diam 3—Regular-Grit 3 micron (Green | | | | pre-shave touch-up. The paste should be applied to |
| colored)—for: refining of edge direct from hone, | | | | the surface in very small amounts with our |
| intermediate action or restoring. | | | | Bio-Diamond special push-drop dispenser applicator. |
| Ref. Bio-Diam 1—Fine-Grit 1 micron (Red | | | | Dispenser procedure: Shake the dispenser gently to |
| colored)—for: regular use on razor’s edge. | | | | mix its contents. Remove the cap, then press the |
| Ref. Bio-Diam 0.25—Extra-fine-Grit 0.25 micron | | | | membrane at the base of the unit to eject drops of |
| (Silver colored)—for: regular use and super-fine | | | | the compound (initially, you might have to press several |
| finishing on razor’s edge. | | | | times to get the flow moving). Ten to twelve drops will |
| Ref. Chromox—Finishing-paste—green chromium | | | | usually suffice for a first application. Any random |
| oxide—recommended for use after diamond-paste | | | | compound emitted at start or end of the emission |
| stropping with grits finer than 0.50 microns. | | | | should be wiped away with the fingertips or a paper |
| Not All Pastes Are Created Equal | | | | towel and deposited on the strop. |
| Like other aspects of straight-razor use, | | | | For a typical-sized paddle-strop, these 10-12 drops |
| razor-sharpening has benefited from modern | | | | should be evenly spaced along the length of the strop. |
| processes and materials. The use of today’s | | | | The dots should be thoroughly worked into the |
| Diamond Sharpening-Pastes in your razor-sharpening | | | | surface, using the fingertips or the heel of the hand. |
| regimen can vastly improve both the quality of your | | | | The more time spent on this step, the more effective |
| razor’s cutting edge and the comfort and | | | | the sharpening action will be. With successive use, as |
| closeness of the shave. | | | | the surface becomes more built-up with abrasives, the |
| Razor-sharpening pastes have been around for years | | | | effectiveness of the sharpening action will be |
| like wet shaving. The most common pastes used a | | | | improved. So, do not clean off the surface after use. |
| fine powder of iron oxide, chromium oxide or graphite | | | | When the effectiveness seems to have diminished, |
| as the cutting agent, suspended in a carrier; this was | | | | simply add a small amount of fresh paste (several |
| spread onto a leather or wood surface, used as a | | | | dots will usually do), work it in, and continue. |
| strop to finish the edge. A bundle of strops would hang | | | | As with all sharpening pastes, a surface coated with a |
| in a corner of the barbershop, each dedicated to a | | | | given grit of paste should be dedicated to that grit |
| different type or coarseness of sharpening-paste. | | | | alone. While it is possible to increase the grit size, you |
| The use of sharpening-pastes is similar to the use of | | | | cannot decrease it. A surface once used for .25 |
| hones: you begin with a coarser grit to accomplish the | | | | micron may subsequently be used with 1.0 micron, but |
| most work in the shortest time, moving on to | | | | you cannot do the reverse. Diamond-paste sharpening |
| progressively finer pastes to refine the edge, ending in | | | | is similar to the use of other multi-paste systems and |
| a finely polished, mirror-like finish. Advances in | | | | to the use of hones; that is, a coarser grade of paste |
| metallurgy produced ever-harder steels, rendering | | | | is used for a dull blade, followed by finer and finer |
| ineffective the compounds used as cutting agents in | | | | grades of paste until a properly refined edge is |
| the sharpening-pastes; they were actually softer than | | | | reached. |
| the blade they were expected to sharpen. Using such | | | | To maintain a fleet of regularly used razors, typically a |
| sharpening-paste made the blade duller, not sharper! All | | | | two-step process, beginning with 1.0 micron, followed |
| this changed with the development of diamond | | | | by .25 micron (and perhaps, to smooth the edge, a final |
| sharpening-pastes. | | | | application of Chromox paste) will achieve a perfectly |
| Diamonds are the hardest substance known to man; | | | | smooth edge. To prevent cross-contamination, |
| far harder than any steel yet developed. | | | | completely wipe off the blade when moving from |
| Industrial-grade diamonds, similar in hardness to | | | | coarser grit to finer, and again before moving on to |
| gemstone-quality diamonds, are by-products of the | | | | your Chromox-pasted strop and/or further, to an |
| diamond-mining industry. Their flaws, color | | | | un-pasted, finishing strop. |
| inconsistencies, or other characteristics render them | | | | The motion used on the diamond-pasted surface is |
| unsuitable for jewelry. Also, in the process of cutting | | | | identical to that employed with any other pasted |
| and polishing gemstones, significant waste is produced. | | | | paddle-strop or hanging-strop: working from the |
| When all this is crushed to a fine powder the resulting | | | | blade’s heel to the point as you travel up or down |
| particles acquire irregular cutting-edges. Being harder | | | | the surface, leading with the razor’s back, and |
| than any other substance, the particles hold those | | | | applying no pressure; using only the weight of the |
| edges longer than any other material. This diamond | | | | razor to maintain constant contact between the razor |
| powder does the actual work of sharpening. | | | | edge and the pasted surface. The typical “X |
| However, all diamond compounds are not equal. The | | | | pattern” used with traditional pastes and stropping is |
| best are very carefully controlled in their manufacture, | | | | to be recommended. After having sharpened your |
| to assure consistency in the size of the actual | | | | razor, you should finish on the Chromox-pasted strop |
| particles. For example, a compound classified as | | | | and/or an un-pasted leather strop. Your razor is now |
| “one micron,” though it may have particles | | | | ready to use. Routine use of the un-pasted leather, |
| smaller, should contain no diamond particles larger, than | | | | pre-shave stropping may be resumed for successive |
| one micron. This is important, especially in a | | | | daily shaves. |
| close-tolerance application such as producing a highly | | | | When needed (most probably every 2-3 weeks), the |
| refined razor edge. All the diamond particles used in | | | | multi-step Bio-Diam strop procedure, should be all that |
| our “Bio-Diamond” sharpening-pastes are very | | | | is necessary to keep your razors in perfect shaving |
| carefully sorted to make sure that particles in each mix | | | | condition. |
| are exactly the given grade size. | | | | Using the Chromox finishing paste: |
| Another differentiation between compounds is the | | | | Chromium oxide edge-smoothing compound, when |
| carrier paste. In an industrial polishing application, an | | | | properly used on a paddle or hanging-strop, smoothes |
| oil-based carrier, (typically a petrochemical) may be | | | | or takes the “bite” out of a very sharp, |
| acceptable. In sharpening a straight razor, a | | | | aggressive edge. Over-use will decrease the |
| water-based paste is preferable. This will easily rinse | | | | closeness of the shave; but proper use will give you |
| away after sharpening, lessening the risk of any skin | | | | the smoothest edge that you’ve ever experienced, |
| irritation or infection. Our “Bio-Diamond” pastes | | | | with no loss of shave closeness. Our ref. Chromox |
| are water-based, perfect for use in the sharpening of | | | | paste is perfect for use after sharpening with |
| razors; they have no harmful chemical additives and | | | | extra-fine diamond grits 0.50 and 0.25 microns (and is |
| are even “food-safe” if accidentally ingested. | | | | also suitable for use after super-fine hones, such as |
| Important: a razor edge can actually be too sharp, the | | | | Shapton 16,000 or 30,000 grits, Chinese 12,000 grits, or |
| result of over-sharpening with diamond-pastes. Such | | | | even Belgian Coticule stones). It is also sometimes of |
| an edge will catch on every surface imperfection in | | | | use after finishing with extremely fine non-diamond |
| the skin, causing irritation and razor-burn. For a close | | | | stropping-pastes. |
| yet comfortable shave, the razor’s edge should | | | | It is recommended to use Chromox paste on either a |
| glide over the skin, barely touching, catching only on the | | | | fine leather paddle-strop (example, the finest side of |
| base of the hairs to be cut. Generally, using a diamond | | | | our ref. 444 paddle-strop, or on the fine leather side of |
| compound as fine as, or finer than, 0.5 micron can | | | | either our ref. 259, Voystrop-N or M, or 276 |
| result in an over-sharpened edge. In most cases, one | | | | paddle-strops) or on a fine leather hanging-strop. |
| micron or smaller diamond sharpening-pastes are more | | | | Important: the chromium oxide paste must fill the pores |
| than capable of sharpening a razor that has become | | | | in your strop; you don’t want it to coat the surface. |
| dull through normal use. By starting with an even | | | | Before first use, with your fingers, rub in a generous |
| coarser grit—in the 6 micron to 1 micron range, | | | | amount of paste to completely cover the surface and |
| depending on how dull the beginning edge is, you can | | | | fill all voids. Then, with a paper towel, wipe all the |
| refine the “not quite shave-ready” edge typically | | | | excess paste off the surface. When you are getting |
| found on a new, out-of-the box razor. | | | | only a trace of lapping paste on your towel, your strop |
| Before sharpening a new razor, first try shaving with it. | | | | is ready for use. Before applying the chromium oxide |
| If it pulls, drags, or is in any way uncomfortable, | | | | paste, you should always stir it well, to avoid settling of |
| sharpening is required. By this test, you learn how | | | | the chromium oxide particles in the mixture. We |
| much sharpening to do. Generally, 20 round-trips on | | | | recommend that you stir with a small piece of wood |
| each side of the diamond-pasted strop will get it right. | | | | and then wipe this piece on the strop to be covered, |
| If, after sharpening and again trying to shave, it needs | | | | so as to avoid wastage. |
| more work, repeat the process. You may have heard | | | | Some experimentation will be required to get the |
| of many different ways to test the sharpness of a | | | | results you prefer. We suggest starting with ten |
| razor: the hanging-hair test, the standing-hair test, | | | | back-and-forth passes in an “X” pattern on the |
| shaving your forearm, etc; but the only true test is | | | | strop as a first test, and then more if necessary. |
| actually shaving with it. | | | | Remember, the only true test of the blade edge is |
| In most cases, a good paddle-strop or two (examples, | | | | shaving with it! |
| our 4-sided paddle strop (ref. 444), or one or more | | | | Suggested sharpening schedule: |
| 2-sided paddle strops (examples, ref. 259 or 276) and | | | | For a blade needing restoration: Following use of an |
| several different-grit diamond sharpening compounds | | | | appropriate hone/or hones we recommend |
| (we recommend Bio-Diam 1, followed by Bio-Diam | | | | progressive use of Bio-Diam 6 micron, Bio-Diam 3 |
| 0.25) will be all that are needed to maintain a fleet of | | | | micron, Bio-Diam 1 micron, Bio-Diam 0.25 micron, |
| daily shavers. What diamond paste will not do alone is | | | | Chromox and finally, an unpasted strop. |
| establish a basic working edge on a razor that | | | | For an out-of-the-box razor, not yet shave-ready: We |
| hasn’t seen a strop or hone in fifty years, or | | | | recommend progressive use of Bio-Diam 6 micron, |
| remove a ding or chip (the result of dropping the razor, | | | | Bio-Diam 3 micron, Bio-Diam 1 micron, Bio-Diam 0.25 |
| or some other accident). For such repair, only a hone | | | | micron, Chromox and finally, an unpasted strop. |
| will do. But, once a hone has done the heavy work, | | | | For a razor already in regular use: We recommend, |
| diamond sharpening-pastes (this time, Bio-Diam 6 and | | | | once every 2 or 3 weeks, progressive use of |
| 3,followed by Bio-Diam 1 and Bio-Diam 0.25) will refine | | | | Bio-Diam 1 micron, Bio-Diam 0.25 micron, Chromox and |
| the basic edge quicker and in much more controlled | | | | finally, an unpasted strop. |
| manner than a hone can. | | | | Plus for daily upkeep of the same razor: We |
| Using the Bio-Diamond sharpening paste: | | | | recommend pre-shave use of either a strop coated |
| The best tool to use with your diamond | | | | with Thiers-Issard non-diamond ref. 260 finishing-paste |
| sharpening-pastes, as we have said, is a paddle-strop. | | | | followed by an unpasted strop or, if desired, an |
| A surface of soft wood (such as balsa) can be | | | | unpasted strop alone. |
| chosen, but we prefer leather. In either case, the | | | | |