Thread: Razor drag question

Originally Posted by Hambone13

*SNIP*
This reminds me of another potential issue with the razor that I forgot to ask about. Due to use and or repair the cutting edge is not flat. It's curved, a smiley if you will. With this shape when you strop the razor both ends don't really touch the strop so the sharpness along the edge must be rather inconsistent at best.

I'm no expert, but I really don't think that your razor's smile should interfere with stropping it. After all, many quality razors are intentionally made with smiles!

So I'm perplexed when you say that the edge isn't consistently touching the strop. If the blade is laying FLAT on the strop as it should be, I can think of only a few situations where there wouldn't be even contact:

• There's a problem with the strop. The strop is either cupped, or the opposite (I can't recall the term). This is more likely with wider, and/or thinner strops.The strop should be flat across it's width. Try stropping with the strop laying flat on a table (near the table's edge).
• There's a problem with the blade, i.e., the blade is bent. Try sighting down the length of the spine and edge to see if they're not straight.
• Your stropping mechanics are causing the problem. As a newb myself, this is what I'd suspect. Scrutinize your technique, and slow down to a very methodical pace.

There are no doubt other possibilities, but these are the ones that immediately came mind.

Good luck, and hang in there!