Quote Originally Posted by hoglahoo View Post
I don't know whether or not this is correct, but I have a suspicion that some of what people say they feel while stropping is like what dowsers feel when they want to believe they are nearing their goal. Placebo effect / power of belief / etc. I also find it hard to believe that physically observable sharpness can be compared to effective sharpness for cutting hair on one's face. However I would be delighted to be found wrong on these points, as it would magnify the mystique of straight razor sharpness for me!

I buy that, size of bevel, and of spine has a bigger effect on draw IMHO. I have razors that give little/lots of draw regardless of shave readyness...

Here's something I have noticed over time: the sound of the razor as I strop it is different from shave ready to not shave ready razors. Kind of a sizzle, if that makes sense. Regardless of the grind, I can hear when the razor is getting close to shave ready.

It may be psychosomatic, but that just means my subconscious knows when a razor is about ready, even if I'm not sure yet. Either way it works for me.