Thread: A Unified Theory of Honing and Stropping?

Well, maybe not. Sounded cool though.

The idea has been developing for several days now, and just sort of gelled on my drive to work today. It derives it's basis from all that I know and have learned with much trial and error over the years. Am I making too much out of nothing? Probably, but I'm sure the SRP jury will soon tell. Is this really new? Again probably not. But maybe put together in a new way.

So here's my thought:

1) Honing - Basically honing is a pushing movement causing forces to go in the direction of the razor edge towards the back or, spine. This not only creates the micro-serrations, but also (note: my theory next) slightly crumpling (Edit: since it was pointed out that "crumpling" may not be the best word, I've decided that "compacting" may be more accurate) the delicate edge of the razor.

Also, the micro-serrations are created at an angle, preferably 45 degrees downward from point to heel of the razor. If you think of all the different angles the micro-serration could take, the downward 45 deg, seems to me to be the most effective for cutting (I'll go into why I think this at a later time).

So the end result of honing: downward angled, slightly crumpled micro-serrated cutting teeth.

2) Stropping - the next thing needed is to un-crumple (Edit: un-compact) the edge and draw/ pull the "teeth" out as straight and as flat as possible. We would want to do this as much along with the angle of the teeth/ striations as possible. Stropping forces that go across the striations might tend to deform, or somehow negatively affect the cutting edge. Also, we need to generate enough force to do this. If I remember correctly, part of the force equation includes velocity. I've recommended for some time speed stropping and now it makes sense. It seems that a slow stropping stroke just would not have the force necessary to pull the edge out sufficiently.

There are a couple of different ways I can think to generate directional force along the lines of the angled teeth. One way would be to strop as if you were back-honing on a hone. I don't believe that this would offer enough space to develope the velocity needed to draw out the teeth and edge in between the teeth sufficiently.

The other way is the sweeping X pattern that I have described many times before. This does allow a high velocity stroke, and by variably angling the razor throughout the stroke, the forces remain generally along the 45 degree downward angle of the teeth.

So there it is in a nut shell. I have more to add, but need to clock in here at work. I'll let the community here have at it for a while and see if anyone has something to say or add


Scott

All this time I've been guessing that it would be best to strop against the teeth lines from honing. No wonder I haven't been able yet to get a close shave against the grain under my chin, my micro-serration theory was fundamentally flawed!

The sky is the limit now, baby!

Are you looking for different viewpoints? I have a few . . .

Sure, different view points, tear it appart, ingnore it, make fun of it, whatever...

That's why I posted it. If something comes of it great. If not, no biggie. Maybe someone will get something from it, maybe no one will. Not going to change anything for me either way.


Scott

There have been many photomicrographs (sp?) that show the only thing going on at the cutting edge during the honing process is the formation of micro serrations, no crumpling.

Stropping realigns an edge that has gotten "folded over" or bent out of alignment by use. I think in the case of razors it also has a "smoothing"effect, as in, it may slightly dull the teeth providing a more comfortable edge.

edit: I mean no offense, just presenting what I have come to understand from my own as well as other people's experiments.

Yes and I think creating a painting can be reduced to the same level as you state. Afterall its just paint and brushes and pushing a brush across a canvas right?

Seriously though there have been these discussions about whether honing is a science or an art. To me there are just too many variables involved. To know what to do and what to use at the right time can't be reduced to some formula. For most of us things keep changing with every razor. Maybe the aim and mechanism are the same but getting there is like the guy doing the painting. Its his skill with the stuff that creates a masterpiece.

Yea you could say in the old days people had but one hone and managed to maintain their razors and most didn't have much skill but I'm not convinced that alot of guys ever had truly shave ready razors. Most probably used razors that were so-so and relied on now and then professional honing jobs which were much easier and cheaper to get than now.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

There have been many photomicrographs (sp?) that show the only thing going on at the cutting edge during the honing process is the formation of micro serrations, no crumpling.

Hmmm, crumpling is just a word I chose. Maybe not the best. The concept is that honing pushes metal in towards the edge while high velocity stropping pulls it back out, and then some.

Any photomicrographs confirming/ discrediting that possibilty? Maybe no-one knew to look for it?


Scott

Did you measure that or is part of the theory?

Originally Posted by Howard

Did you measure that or is part of the theory?

Howard, that's approximate. I derived the 45 degrees from holding the razor canted back at about 45 degrees, and then drawing the razor diagonally down and across the hone while maintaining that canted position. Looking at the very edge of my daily razor under a 10X loupe, I observe what appears to me to be a striated pattern, the striations slanted about 45 degrees downward, from point to heel.

Did I mearsure it? No, but I guesstimate 45 degrees to be about accurate.


Scott

I think that all this thread is proving is that, like Einstien, we are unable to come up with a unified theory of honing and stropping!

Personally, I spent my first few weeks without a strop at all, just honed my edge to 0.5um on lapping films and had at it. I thought that stropping was for manic obsessives and lunatics, since even the Verhoven paper showed no change in edge with stropping, so I thought I was in the clear...

Now I find out that perhaps I am now an obsessive lunatic myself, as after finally getting a nice strop and learning how to use it -- my edges became MUCH nicer, keener, and gave better shaves.

Go figure.