X Stropping

[Books]

As I understand it stropping is to align the edge of the blade in order to keep it sharp...

So I have the poor mans strop and from what I can read I should be doing an x pattern, basically start with the end of the toe off the strop and as I move away from me I should end with the heel of the blade off the edge. Then I flip the blade on it's spine and reverse the process ending with the toe back over the edge of the strop.

This way the whole blade get's stropped. But wouldn't this make the edge of the blade aligned at an angle? Or am I over thinking this?

[AFDavis11]

Your overthinking it and expecting too much "alignment" from a strop. It's only polishing the edge.

[thebigspendur]

Yea polishing or dressing. Either way you're not really sharpening it just affecting the comfort factor. (OK technically it's sharpening but practically it's not because it's so minor) Stropping on plain leather will not keep a blade sharp.