Thread: Can anyone explain the reason behind the X strokes?

Yes, as said above, razors are rarely perfectly flat and straight.

An X stroke is a simple way to alter, the pressure shift from the heel to the toe and hone the edge completely.

With a smiling razor, you may need to additionally lift the heel, but only slightly, when combined with an X stroke. Often the pressure shift is only as much as something you think about, kind of like turning a bicycle or motorcycle, you rarely turn the handle bars.

On a razor with a straight edge, if you hone with a perfect straight stroke without adjusting pressure to the heel or toe, you will eventually hone a frown however small, because that is where pressure normally concentrates.

Ink the whole bevel and put the razor on a high grit stone, do each stroke and you will see the impact of pressure, intended or not.

An X stroke evenly applies pressure and compensates for uneven straightness of the edge, any warp and/or thickness of the blade.