Thread: Strop Seems to Dull

Very helpful responses! I have a very fine hone, and my honing final honing seems to work well. And, I was tempted to try shaving after honing, without stropping just for some feedback on my blade and processes.

I've been so worried about dulling the blade from too much sag that I sometimes have placed the strop on the edge of a table. I have also been stropping very slowly. At the least, from the responses above I am going to experiment a little more!

Thanks for this post. What do you mean by "deflection?" Are you raising the spine slightly? Is that what you mean?
Kent

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I find the same issue. I think I can point out one secret we rarely discuss. Just off the hone, particularly with the wicked sharp blades we can use today, it is really easy to blow an edge.

If we used less high grits we'd be better off perhaps, but who would follow that routine?

So, I often don't strop at all just off the hone.

If you want to strop just off the hone then you should do so with a feather light touch, just a few strokes. And I would argue also, that you're not re-aligning anything. Its an almost "why bother" proposition.

After a few shaves though I think its probably essential. I certain strop after the first shave.

I find that any pressure applied incorrectly will smooth (and dull) a razor.

On the other hand . . . if your honing is just so-so. Then I find that using a strop with a light touch and just a tad of deflection can actually sharpen the edge a little. It shapes the edge a touch.

After this process occurs then I use a touch of pressure, build up a draw on the strop, then strop with a feather light touch for a few strokes.

I follow this pattern. Apply pressure to get draw (just enough to get draw) then build up the draw, then polish the drawn edge (perhaps with a touch of deflection).

So, what it feels like is I'm extending the edge outward and then polishing the extended edge.

It produces a really smooth edge, sharp enough to shave with, but more like a DE blade feels.

That is what I do anyway.

It does remain a little bit of a mystery to me as well.

Good news is I can go a long time between honings with this game plan.

What brand of strop are you using?

I think the "deflection" question was directed to AFDavis11. If the question about strop was directed to me, I am using an Illinois Razor Strop Company #27 strop, with a linen side and a leather side. I am not currently using the linen side.

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

I think the "deflection" question was directed to AFDavis11. If the question about strop was directed to me, I am using an Illinois Razor Strop Company #27 strop, with a linen side and a leather side. I am not currently using the linen side.

I have found that doing 50 on linen followed by 50 on leather is very effective in adding or maintaining keenness to my razor's edge. Here is a thread that will be of interest on the topic. My stropping routine is based on the 4th post in the thread by mparker.

JimmyHad, what a wonderful link and article, and responses! It all made sense.

It is actually good to know someone else did the same thing.

Originally Posted by keenedge

Thanks for this post. What do you mean by "deflection?" Are you raising the spine slightly? Is that what you mean?
Kent

No, never raise the spine.

Deflection is the motion the strop makes when a razor is moving along it. You can see the strop deflect downward if you look from the side while someone else strops. You can increase deflection by holding the strop less than ultra taut.

I really shouldn't double post, but I realize I often forget to make some important points.

The key to not dulling an edge with a strop is learning how to flip the razor without applying any downward pressure with the thumb on the shank.

So, typically a light touch and a taut strop work great as long as you learn how to flip a razor over without pushing down on the edge at contact.

One of the links above lead me to an article that mentioned a Radio Shack microscope used to examine blade edge. I bought one this afternoon: Radio Shack Illuminated Mini Microscope, catalog# 63-1313. $12. It requires 2 AAA batteries, and magnifies 60x to 100x.

Even in the hour I've used it, I have achieved a blade sharpness I hadn't before. Definitely worth the money! I think I can now more effectively determine the results of honing and stropping even before shaving. And, this will undoubtedly reduce my learning curve!

A few comments about what I've found, and tips for use of the microscope...

The honing guides and videos I've seen specify using a single X pattern, which I have been doing. The microscope immediately showed me striations diagonally across the edge, with the striations predominantly in the same direction. (I.e., the direction of my X pattern blade movement.) I had just read earlier about a double X pattern, (don't remember the name given it), that alternates the direction of the stroke.

(1) Left to right, top to bottom direction.
(2) Left to right, bottom to top.
(3) Right to left, top to bottom.
(4) Right to left, bottom to top.

Of course, with edge leading.

Just a few light strokes in the double X pattern, and back to the microscope, and the unavoidable striations caused by honing were now equally distributed between top left to bottom right direction and top right to bottom left direction. (In other words, it looked like a bunch of Xs instead of rain blowing sideways in the wind.)

Using the double X appeared to give a smoother blade edge. I am not sure my observations are correct. But, it seemed like when I honed in the same diagonal direction, the grooves were deeper. When I used the double X, the second diagonal pass, was perpendicular (close) to the first pass and so didn't reinforce the first pass.

The observation seemed to match what you would intuitively expect from alternating the direction of the honing stroke. (But, I didn't think about it. So, how intuitive is that?)

I'm new at this. Some or much of the above might be nonsense. Reader beware!

Now, a word about using the microscope, should you buy one...

Hand shake is definitely a problem... including the hand holding the scope, and the hand moving the blade while viewing (if you are.) A little experimentation worked things out...

* Place something heavy and flat (heavy book) on the table.
* Place spine of blade against book.
* Tip microscope maybe 20%, leaving a side of the scope base on the ground.
* Keeping the tipped scope base on the table, move the scope back and forth to find the blade edge.
* When found, adjust focus if necessary.

After doing the above, you will have inspected one point on the blade. You will want to inspect the entire blade edge of course. And, this is where the book comes in handy. (It was already useful in that it held the razor still while you were moving the scope around hunting for the edge. Otherwise, and I did this a few times, moving the scope might move the blade.)

The blade spine is against the book. The microscope is focused on the blade edge. With the hand not holding the scope, gently slide the blade along the book (or whatever object you are using) edge. Using this technique, after a little experimentation, I was able to inspect the entire blade edge without too many adjustments in microscope position.

Hope this was helpful!