Thread: Stropping

Originally Posted by Seraphim

So, is there some slight pressure you are supposed to apply? Or are you just trying to glide the razor along with just the blade weight?

I'm using a TM starter strop and am just trying to glide the razor along it as lightly as I can. Should there be a tiny amount of downward pressure component?

I can't really answer this question. I will say that you should emphasize the evaluation of the blade over any directions on how to strop.

I believe, that if all things are optimal, a razor on a taut strop with no pressure should strop up properly. Deflection, in my mind, is for shaping an edge that is screwed up and pressure is used for when a blade is not properly sharp in the first place. You can literally shape the edge with these two techniques and then strop properly and attain a good edge. I would say both of these would be advanced stropping concepts.

To strop correctly, stropping that leads to a perfected thumb pad test and a perfect shave, is usually done with no pressure and a little bit of speed, not much, but a little. What you have to watch out for is a strop that cups or gets out of whack, a strop that isn't treated right (go oil), light pressure screw-ups, and sag when its not called for.

Okay, now I'm going to move into some mindset ideas. These are to give you insight, please don't get all wrapped up in the fact that this stuff might not be actually happening.

The mindset when stropping is to think of the edge as needing to be swept away (outward) from the edge, straight out, and not deflected in any way. Its almost as if minute deflection is the most likely effect when stropping and perfection is more unlikely without practice. The way the edge extends into a shaving tool seems sort of magical. A near perfect visual for the motion is the way a fly fisherman can cast a line with no weight or downward pressure out away from himself 20 yards. The shank would be the fly rod, the blade the weighted line, and the lead the "fin" of the razor. Any downward pressure would throw the line at his feet. Its the motion that does the work. The key in a razors edge is a perfectly straight extension out beyond the edge. Due to the incredible delicateness of the edge, any unbalanced pressure on either side would likely deflect the edge.

Another more simplistic visual for the action on the edge itself is to think of it as honing. You hone with a very light touch. Now your honing the edge with a .001 micron hone. You'd have to go so wicked light on the strop as to almost defy your imagination. Imagine the razors edge, no longer the original edge, but created from the micro-extension of the steel. More delicate then even the thinly honed edge. Now more just the whisps of steel extending beyond the edge.

Now, if that visual doesn't leave you with a love of this art, nothing will.