Thread: Trying to refresh a blade with a smile...

Originally Posted by BobH

Yes, using the marker is a good idea. I don't think you use a rolling X stroke while stropping, at least I never have with a smiling blade. Always thought there would be enough slack in the strop to take care of things. I can even picture how to do a rolling X stroke on a strop.

Bob

I have a hanging and bench strop, so I could try it on the latter. Was wondering if I need to make adjustiments to my technique for stropping, as there is wear only on the heel an toe. I've been doing an x pattern stropping.

Originally Posted by pcm

I have a hanging and bench strop, so I could try it on the latter. Was wondering if I need to make adjustiments to my technique for stropping, as there is wear only on the heel an toe. I've been doing an x pattern stropping.

don't need to do x-rolling on a strop, hanging or bench, there is sufficient give in the strop to gently affect the edge regardless of edge profile.

Yup, you’re not honing to the edge and may not have completely set the bevel.

Ink the bevel and do a lap on the 12k if you are not removing ink to the edge… that is your problem.

The rolling X is really a simple stroke, but we often make it way too complicated, by adding too much “rolling” action.

Just start in the upper corner and end in the middle of the stone, keeping the heel on the stone until half way across the stone. It is a very subtle motion that moves the pressure point from the heel to the toe, too much rolling and the edge is off the stone.

It is impossible to say without looking at the razor, how much stone you need to repair it. This is no-longer a simple honing, it is a repair and needs to be addressed as such. And as said, It needs a full 1K bevel set.