Thread: Really no pressure during stropping ...?

Hi all - Coming from a background of knife sharpening, I'm having a bit of disbelief when I read "use zero pressure when stropping; just the weight of the blade itself". Is this just a mantra so to cause the beginner to not "over" press or is it really literal? Are people stropping without any added pressure besides that of gravity? (Please forgive if this seems picky; I'm an engineer by training and zero means something very specific to me. If it's really "barely any pressure" then I'd be much more sanguine about the direction).
Toonfully yours
Crowden

There's pressure, but it is mainly directed toward the spine of the razor via the fingers. The edge follows along behind. When we say no pressure it just means don't force it - just keep the edge in contact with the leather and let it take care of itself.

James.

Well forget engineering and scientific specifics and go with barely any pressure.

Bob

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...st-2012-a.html


Take a look in that thread and watch the vids, it will help you understand, plus there are tons of tips and tricks in there..

Simply put, use no more pressure then is needed to insure even and equal movement of the spine across the strop,,, The edge will follow and do just fine...

Enough pressure to keep the spin and edge firmly against the leather. To light a touch won't do anything. You will know your stropping right by the sound it makes and the observation you will make of improving the edge- honestly it's less scientific and more of a "feel" thing that you just have to aquier with expieriance

Think .00000314 psi.

Yes you need some pressure,but is a very fine line.I think the most important thing people should learn about stropping is to use an X stroke with a hanging strop.I do not care how wide the strop is, you have two maliable surfaces,the strop and the blade edge.
People pay very little attention as to how fragile the edge really is.
I always show newbs just how fragile,push on a hollow ground edge gently with your thumbnail,see how easily it flexes,this gives a visual
as to what is happening when pressure is applied during stropping and honing,than they realize the edge is like paper,gotta go easy.

Originally Posted by JoeLowett

Enough pressure to keep the spin and edge firmly against the leather. To light a touch won't do anything. You will know your stropping right by the sound it makes and the observation you will make of improving the edge- honestly it's less scientific and more of a "feel" thing that you just have to aquier with expieriance

Yeah , tell a bodybuilder or a farrier to keep the edge firmly against the leather & see what happens.

I agree it's a skill acquired with experience & the state of the edge also dictates the 'pressure'. A freshly honed razor off a 5µ stone will not benefit from 'firm' pressure whereas a razor starting to lose its edge may but of course these terms are quite subjective.

It would be interesting to know how much pressure people use with their anchor hand when holding a hanging strop. My spring scales say not much over a pound or 2 for me, depending on the strop. For me the anchor hand dictates how heavy my razor hand is.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Yeah , tell a bodybuilder or a farrier to keep the edge firmly against the leather & see what happens.

I agree it's a skill acquired with experience & the state of the edge also dictates the 'pressure'. A freshly honed razor off a 5µ stone will not benefit from 'firm' pressure whereas a razor starting to lose its edge may but of course these terms are quite subjective.

It would be interesting to know how much pressure people use with their anchor hand when holding a hanging strop. My spring scales say not much over a pound or 2 for me, depending on the strop. For me the anchor hand dictates how heavy my razor hand is.

Reminds me of an incident in my youth. I was in the rear seats of a VW van with my wife and at our destination I tried the door handle but it was stuck. The driver said "It always does that - just pull harder" So I did and still nothing. I said I was afraid to pull any harder and the driver said, no, that's fine. Just pull really hard. So I did. And then handed him the handle.

So ... going into something knowing how hard or light to pull or press is something I now try to do ;-)

We mean F*&k all pressure, which is almost no pressure.
But that might be an Aussie term that goes right past you straight through to the keeper.
That ALSO might be an Aussie term that leaves you with a look on your face like a stunned mullet.
That ALSO might be an Aussie term that...I'll shut up now...