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

You only use .00000314 psi pressure for circular honing! Get it!!? I use a little pressure when my strop is flat and taut and no pressure when I add deflection or purposely lift the spin. I think an expert thinks about different stropping strategies and imagines, at least, some differences. I've always thought I could strop for a touch better smoothness if I desired to.

Either way, gentle patience usually pays-off, pressure can bite you back.

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.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

Think .00000314 psi.

Is it the same for each style of blade? I was always under the impression you increase it by 3/10ths of a percent for full hollow and decrease by the same for wedges. That is if your are north of the equator, if your south, then.....well I guess your screwed because the formula only works north of the equator.

Originally Posted by Chugach68

Is it the same for each style of blade? I was always under the impression you increase it by 3/10ths of a percent for full hollow and decrease by the same for wedges. That is if your are north of the equator, if your south, then.....well I guess your screwed because the formula only works north of the equator.

I always thought the increase was the other way around for the wedge and hollow,, But I do concur on the N and S of the Equator as per reading our AU friends posts

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.