Thread: 12000k whetstone is stropping needed?

Stropping always improves my edges as well and that's coming off a 30k stone - there's something magical about stropping!

John

Originally Posted by ontariocutleryjeremy

I just received my 12000k stone and was curious with such a fine edge would stropping have any effect other then user error

Originally Posted by Johnus

Very interesting question. There is the issue of directionality. But if after you honed it , you reversed direction for a few strokes would it be the same as stropping?

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

I suggest you try it without stropping, and then with stropping. Experience both ways and see. I think you'll settle on the stropped edge, unless as you say..."user error".

Have fun with it and then let us know what you think!!

Me......old saying......they'll have to pry my strop out of my cold dead hands!!

Regards,

Howard

I think Howard nailed it,,,

But there is also some microscopic "evidence" that stropping actually smooths the edge and the tiny metal inconsistencies that are left from honing and for sure come from shaving...

I've read the 'evidence' and I believe it, plus stropping seems an integral part of the ritual that I like so much....but it does seem kind of counter intuitive in a way.....I guess alignment is the word because nothing on the strop indicates that metal has left any sign of having been there (or has it?). What is happening is in a world unavailable to us without an electron microscope, but felt none the less.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I think Howard nailed it,,,

But there is also some microscopic "evidence" that stropping actually smooths the edge and the tiny metal inconsistencies that are left from honing and for sure come from shaving...

Originally Posted by WW243

I guess alignment is the word because nothing on the strop indicates that metal has left any sign of having been there (or has it?). .

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...tml#post585486


This is from a few years back when I took the pics, it has happened multiple times, some as you can read have different ideas, for me knowing my own routine it was simple, there is no doubt in my mind, that metal is coming off the razors,,, After multiple strops, there is nothing anyone could do or say to change my mind

You are going to have to decide for yourself

I shaved half my face before stropping and the other have with stropping. Before stropping was closer but not as comfortable as the stropped side. Thanks for the help guys. Stropping is def a plus

It seems like since you're going to be stropping every subsequent time after your first shave, why not do it for the first shave? Unless you're asking if you should just not strop in general...
I've asked the question myself about pastes/sprays, but stropping is so normal to the daily routine, to me that's an easy one - just strop. haha.

While a 12k Super Stone bevel looks shiny to the naked eye, under magnification fine stria is easily visable. This stria creates a saw tooth edge. Stropping with linen or leather does or can remove more of the saw tooth edge and create a straighter/more comfortable edge by reducing the stria land height. Paste makes the strop more abrasive and can speed the number of laps needed.

You can strop on paste and remove all visible stria from a 12k stone or hone on a natural lower grit friable stone and do the same, though removal of stria (shinny bevel) is not an indicator of shaveability or comfort.

The 12k edge is sharp, but not comfortable.

Ironically you only need to flatten the stria enough to make the edge comfortable for your face, not remove all of it, which accounts for the look of the bevel not being an indicator of comfort.

The problem is one errant stroke can ruin the edge.

Are your strops discolored in the same way as the linen pic you posted.....I hope you are not getting the idea that I am questioning the effectiveness of stropping, just playing devil's advocate with the OP a little. Truth is I believe some things I can't see and I don't believe some things I do see.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...tml#post585486


This is from a few years back when I took the pics, it has happened multiple times, some as you can read have different ideas, for me knowing my own routine it was simple, there is no doubt in my mind, that metal is coming off the razors,,, After multiple strops, there is nothing anyone could do or say to change my mind

You are going to have to decide for yourself

I finish my straight with 12k Naniwa waterstone but then I strop it with Diamond paste 20k and then pure leather. I like to describe those edges beyond razor sharp I have noticed that stropping is the cherry on cake. Without stropping your shave wont be as good as it would be with stropping.

Originally Posted by WW243

Are your strops discolored in the same way as the linen pic you posted.....I hope you are not getting the idea that I am questioning the effectiveness of stropping, just playing devil's advocate with the OP a little. Truth is I believe some things I can't see and I don't believe some things I do see.

No,

Which IMO is why I use the linen first, always

That was what I was taught way back in the dark ages before internet