Thread: Stropping a wedge?

Do you guys have any tips for properly stropping a wedge grind? I have a Reynolds 7/8 wedge and I use Tony's Red Laitgo w/ genuine linen canvas. Is it different that a hollow grind? It certainly is silent.

I have the same razor and a latigo strop also and those wedges make no sound at all, its like stropping a butter knife, but after a 100 on leather its good to go.

Don't worry about the lack of sonic feedback, that's just down to the difference in grind. The method is the same, taut strop, spine in contact with strop at all times. A well stropped blade is just that, irrespective of grind. If you haven't already, have a read of this page in the Wiki.

Warning, wild speculation ahead.

A hollow grind forms a triangle strop-spine-edge. A true wedge would lie flat on a strop which is pulled taut. Would it not therefore make sense to allow for a limited amount of slack in the strop?

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Warning, wild speculation ahead.

A hollow grind forms a triangle strop-spine-edge. A true wedge would lie flat on a strop which is pulled taut. Would it not therefore make sense to allow for a limited amount of slack in the strop?

Yeah, I see your point. A hanging strop would give that slack anyway as far as I can see though and, I suspect (without any data whatsoever to back up my suspicion), that a paddle would too. Actually,thinking about it, wouldn't the bevel on a true wedge, assuming the spine hadn't been taped during honing, be consistent with the entire blade and so it wouldn't be issue. Equally, I have yet to see a genuinely true wedge. You've made my brain explode a little here, Robin, it's too early on a Sunday morning for this.

Stropping is stropping and you strop all razors the same be it a hollow, wedge or Japanese. A wedge makes no sound as you strop. That's just the way it is.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Warning, wild speculation ahead.

A hollow grind forms a triangle strop-spine-edge. A true wedge would lie flat on a strop which is pulled taut. Would it not therefore make sense to allow for a limited amount of slack in the strop?

Hi BeBerlin,

I have to respectfully say it would probably not be a good idea. You'll round of the edge and would have no control over your edge bevel since you're bound to use different tension when using the strop, thereby creating variable slack in the strop every time.
A truly flat ground / wedge steel would be stropped all over the surface, including the edge which has the same angle as the wedge itself.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Warning, wild speculation ahead.

A hollow grind forms a triangle strop-spine-edge. A true wedge would lie flat on a strop which is pulled taut. Would it not therefore make sense to allow for a limited amount of slack in the strop?

I agree, but I agree with huge reservation of saying a slightly looser hold because too many people will mis-interpret that.. But yes I relax my hold a minuscule amount on heavy wedge styles...

Honestly I don't think anyone could prove that it helps, but in my slightly OCD mind I see the same thing as Robin does...Plus the blade doesn't flex on the heavies where it does on the hollows...

Just so long as your not rolling the edge at the end of the motion on either style it should be just fine IMHO...

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Warning, wild speculation ahead.

A hollow grind forms a triangle strop-spine-edge. A true wedge would lie flat on a strop which is pulled taut. Would it not therefore make sense to allow for a limited amount of slack in the strop?

Bang on the mark Robin, not wild speculation at all since this is what I do and it works wonders.

Your theory is correct, and I've been meaning to post about it for a while now. Wedges not only lie flat, but many have smiles (in varying degrees) as well. I was getting ok shaves with wedges, not great. I took a look at how they sit on a fairly taut strop (as I would hold it for a hollow ground), low and behold it was not making contact along the entire surface. It was enough that even an x-pattern would not work well, at least with a 3" wide strop. The solution? And a bit of slack, ensuring that the entire surface is stropped for the FULL stroke.

I also increase my laps on both linen and leather. Between the slack and the increased laps it is like shaving with a new, better razor. Try it. It works.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Bang on the mark Robin, not wild speculation at all since this is what I do and it works wonders.

Your theory is correct, and I've been meaning to post about it for a while now. Wedges not only lie flat, but many have smiles (in varying degrees) as well. I was getting ok shaves with wedges, not great. I took a look at how they sit on a fairly taut strop (as I would hold it for a hollow ground), low and behold it was not making contact along the entire surface. It was enough that even an x-pattern would not work well, at least with a 3" wide strop. The solution? And a bit of slack, ensuring that the entire surface is stropped for the FULL stroke.

I also increase my laps on both linen and leather. Between the slack and the increased laps it is like shaving with a new, better razor. Try it. It works.

Im going to be a slacker with my wedges, never gave it much thought BUT it makes sense, how many passes 50/100 or more than that?