Quote Originally Posted by Utopian View Post
I'm sure this will likely start a debate, but I disagree with steps 2 and 3. First, I don't think the strop has to be pulled as tightly as you imply. You want to prevent the leather from rolling the blade but the strop does not have to be pulled absolutely perfectly straight with great force to accomplish this. Second, I've experimented with stropping speed and I find that I get a much better stropping from a fairly rapid (not ridiculously so) stropping motion and the edge improvement is severely diminished if I go very slowly.

No doubt multiple opinions will follow.
I really think that a smooth rhythmic stroke is all that is needed. The more you strop correctly, the more that rhythm develops and becomes comfy. I have never found any gain in excessive speed.

I'd be interested in what stones you have and what you have tried regarding honing so far.

Lynn