Cutting Edge Getting Smaller

Hello everyone,

I'm new to straight shaving (I've only been doing it for a few weeks now) and the razor that I've been using is the Dovo Full Hollow 5/8. I have an Illinois 127 strop, and every time I shave (which is every other day) I do 30 on the canvas and 50 on the leather. After I shave, I do 10 on each side to dry it completely. Lately, I've noticed that my cutting edge has been getting smaller and smaller, almost to the point of not being visible. This is only happening where I shave the most (near the end). Is this normal? I'm completely clueless as to why this is occurring and welcome any and all wisdom on the subject.

Attachment 233712 Attachment 233713

What do you mean by the cutting edge? Do you mean the bevel? It could be your stropping technique.

Yep, I'm referring to the bevel. I try to keep the spine and bevel flat while stropping.

my first question is - does your Illinois 127 strop have a clean linen or does it have the white pasty look to it
as a lot of the old Illinois strops had a pasted linen & this will wear your blade down causing your bevel to reduce,
the reason it is more at the toe would be due to your stropping pressure being heavier & in longer contact on the toe than the rest of the blade with the strop surfaces
this is my best guess based on the information received

A hone is supposed to remove steel from the edge. A strop only is supposed to re-align the edge, unless it is pasted, and a pasted strop should not be used every day.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NobleLegend

Hello everyone,

I'm new to straight shaving (I've only been doing it for a few weeks now) and the razor that I've been using is the Dovo Full Hollow 5/8. I have an Illinois 127 strop, and every time I shave (which is every other day) I do 30 on the canvas and 50 on the leather. After I shave, I do 10 on each side to dry it completely. Lately, I've noticed that my cutting edge has been getting smaller and smaller, almost to the point of not being visible. This is only happening where I shave the most (near the end). Is this normal? I'm completely clueless as to why this is occurring and welcome any and all wisdom on the subject.

Attachment 233712 Attachment 233713

---

Welcome to the wonderful world of straight razor shaving. To me it seems like you may be using a little too much pressure on the linen side of your strop.

Try this:
Take the strop and place it on a flat surface.

Then lightly strop the razor very little pressure very slowly. Lead with the spine and roll it over the spine when you want to switch sides.

I would limit your linen stropping to about 10 laps until you figure out if that's the problem.
Good luck!

Thanks for all of the quick responses everyone! Putting too much pressure on the strop makes perfect sense and I'll be sure to watch for it next time I shave/strop. Thanks again for all of your help!

Seems to me, if the edge is still cutting well, then there is No problem. Still getting a smooth shave?

If he is removing steel while stropping, then that is a problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Utopian

If he is removing steel while stropping, then that is a problem.

---

Rolling the edge then breaking it off?:shrug:

But then it wouldn't be usable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 32t

Rolling the edge then breaking it off?:shrug:

But then it wouldn't be usable.

---

Very true. Rolling the microscopic edge would cause the razor to become dull. Hmm..... If the edge of the razor is getting smaller then the blade is getting worn away thus "dulling".

I might be missing something here.

We are missing something here.
I believe the answer lays within the linen. 30 strokes before each shave are a lot. Now, normally it wouldn't result in removing metal, but I read this review: Review: Illinois #127 Strop | TheShaveDen , in which the reviewer praises the linen for refreshing his blade.
This makes me believe the linen on this strop is a little adhesive. Check and see if the linen darkened a little. If it did - you found your "problem"...
Also, some pictures of the strop will help :]

Once you have found how to make your bevel smaller please post your findings here. I have seen some large bevels that could benefit.

Even plain leather will remove steel, although an extremely small amount. Would take a lot of stropping.

Ron already addressed the linen, it must be a loaded linen, with some kind of paste , his lap counts on the linen would not wear away the edge like a pasted one. But in my opinion, unless he has measured his bevel and recorded his findings, how do we know it really is getting smaller? If it's still shaving well, could it be just an illusion. But if it ain't a loaded strop, he ain't been shaving long enough to wear a bevel down from"proper stropping". Tc

The linen on new Illinois strops does need some time to break in but I doubt 30 laps would make a very noticeable difference in a relatively small amount of time. Plus I'm pretty sure the blade wouldn't be shaving properly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Something must be on the linen, I strop 30 linen/50 leather before every use and if I'm removing metal it's at microscopic levels. I've never noticed any bevel changes from stropping

Grant, might you still be around? I know profile activity is dated the same as your last post in this thread, but I hope you are still subscribed to your thread :tu.

Anyway. Another fella is coming by in a week or two for the modest help I can provide. If you are attending college at the IWU main campus (because they have satellite campuses, right??...), you are only about an hour south of me on the NW side of Fort Wayne. You are welcome to join. I can try to put an edge back on your razor, while you are here. Looks like the same as my daily shaver.

Either way, good luck with your shaves!