Thread: x pattern stropping

Does using an x-pattern make the middle of the blade sharper than the heel or toe? The middle is in contact with the strop for the whole stroke whereas the heel and toe fall off the edge halfway along.

Good question. I experimented with cowhide and horsehide strops in 1 5/8", 2", 2 1/2" and three inch. I stropped a wedge and a extra hollow ground singing blade. I used an X pattern on all strops with each razor and after every ten laps, I checked the blade under the microscope. In a nut shell, my results showed a much more efficient stropping with the 2" and 2 1/2" strops. The 3" actually took more strokes to get the same effect. The 1 5/8" strop performed better then the 3". Horsehide also showed quicker results then cowhide. I did try smooth finish and suede finish. I found the suede to be much more efficient on both horse and cowhide. I did not experiment with latigo or an oil/wax application. The X pattern showed a marked improvement over straight line stropping. I did find that starting with a straight stropping pattern then finishing with approximately 10-15 strokes of X pattern was almost as efficient with a X pattern only. For me, it turned out to be most time advantageous to use a 2 1/2" suede finish horsehide strop and start with a straight stropping pattern for 40 laps then finish with 10 X pattern. I surmise using the straight pattern warmed up the razor and strop to the a temperature that gave the X pattern the benefit.

I am contemplating repeating this experiment with a no touch laser thermometer. I suspect that friction plays a more important role in stropping then I previously believed.

One side note. I took an old oil/wax treated strop and put a suede finish. It gave it a very heavy draw but very efficient draw. For me it is an uncomfortably heavy draw resulting in having to hold the razor very tight. A razor with less then very tight pins causes me to hold the razor differently then I normally do.

To boil it down. I had even stropping/sharpening effect quickest with the X pattern.

Originally Posted by muddy250

Does using an x-pattern make the middle of the blade sharper than the heel or toe? The middle is in contact with the strop for the whole stroke whereas the heel and toe fall off the edge halfway along.

Guess that depends on how you do your X pattern stroke. I have a way of doing it so that no part of the blade falls off or away from the strop. On a 2-1/2" strop the point does extend slightly beyond the strop at the beginning, but stays on the strop the majority of the stroke. The heel remains on the strop the entire time.


Scott

Good stropping should tone the entire edge.

X

Originally Posted by honedright

Guess that depends on how you do your X pattern stroke. I have a way of doing it so that no part of the blade falls off or away from the strop. On a 2-1/2" strop the point does extend slightly beyond the strop at the beginning, but stays on the strop the majority of the stroke. The heel remains on the strop the entire time.


Scott

Ah, my strop is 2" so the toe is off at the start of the stroke and the heel at the end. Unless I angle the blade for the whole stroke the middle gets more contact time than heel or toe.

Originally Posted by Kenrup

...
In a nut shell, my results showed a much more efficient stropping with the 2" and 2 1/2" strops. The 3" actually took more strokes to get the same effect. The 1 5/8" strop performed better then the 3".
...

Thanks for the interesting test results, Ken. Now I feel better (or at least validated...) about my preference for using my 2" inch latigo hanger or 1 3/16" Torrey loom w suede finish.