Thread: Razor not sharp??

Originally Posted by Scabby

I don't think it's my stropping technique, because I have been doing it slowly and lightly while keeping the strop taut, and it makes the sound like you are supposed to hear.

I think you're a bit too gentle with the stropping. Taut is good. It's not a stretching exercise tough. Just the force applied to keep the strop taut when there's no razor on it, is good. During stropping, you need some friction, not a lot, but there must be a kind of draw between the steel and the leather. It depends on the strop how likely it is to get draw and you must adjust your stropping pressure accordingly. I also think it's important to use some speed. It doesn't need to be lightning fast, just try to avoid slow motion.

If I'm right and your razor has fallen back from a lack of effective stropping, then you need to catch up a bit. I suggest 50 laps on linen and 100 on the strop. Check with your TPT before and after. You should be able to sense a difference. It's a good exercise to develop a feel for the TPT.

Good luck,
Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

I think you're a bit too gentle with the stropping. Taut is good. It's not a stretching exercise tough. Just the force applied to keep the strop taut when there's no razor on it, is good. During stropping, you need some friction, not a lot, but there must be a kind of draw between the steel and the leather. It depends on the strop how likely it is to get draw and you must adjust your stropping pressure accordingly. I also think it's important to use some speed. It doesn't need to be lightning fast, just try to avoid slow motion.

If I'm right and your razor has fallen back from a lack of effective stropping, then you need to catch up a bit. I suggest 50 laps on linen and 100 on the strop. Check with your TPT before and after. You should be able to sense a difference. It's a good exercise to develop a feel for the TPT.

Good luck,
Bart.

Thanks for the advice. I'll strop more like this next time and see if that helps any.

My strop is a latigo leather strop from tony miller. It doesn't have linen. Will 150 on that work or should I do more or something else to make up for not having linen?

Originally Posted by Scabby

Thanks for the advice. I'll strop more like this next time and see if that helps any.

My strop is a latigo leather strop from tony miller. It doesn't have linen. Will 150 on that work or should I do more or something else to make up for not having linen?

Just do the 100 laps, and find out if it helps.
The linen has a reputation for being slightly more abrasive while the leather really is more about realigning. There is a lot of speculation about stropping, and little solid facts known. But linen definitely has its virtues for me.

Just keep us posted on the progress (or the lack thereof), and we'll take it from there.

Good luck,
Bart.

Whether or not linen actually does something the leather does not do... I just don't know and can't tell. However, it is some damn good fun! Simple pleasures.