So I typically use more pressure than I should on both the hone and strop. I get good shaves but I don't have edges as sharp as most guys. I like the simplicity of using a little pressure on the hone (it gets sharp fast) and the strop (it gets stropped in a few strokes as well).
I sometimes flirt with the idea of honing with a light touch, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I chalk it all up to needing practice.
Recently, I talked with Robert Williams (via PM) about pressure and he gave me some interesting insights. I've talked with a few other experts on other sites as well.
We all know the importance of using light pressure when honing, but I wanted to discuss something a little different that others may not truely appreciate, utilize, or agree with.
Its the idea of pressure variance.
One thing I have noticed is the importance of using the "right" amount of pressure when honing . . . I have also noticed the "right" amount of pressure when stropping.
I have noticed that a razor requires less and less pressure as it gets honed. The sharper, the less pressure. Most of us know this, but many only talk about pressure being "light" and therefore many newbies will miss important ideas about how to hone (I think).
Now, I've noticed many times in the past, but never really got it clarifed in my head that the strop is the same way.
I have noticed that pressure (light, yet firm, maybe a pound or two) is helpful on the strop, but that as the blade gets more and more smooth, the pressure needs become lighter and lighter. Eventually, the pressure needs to be really light.
I wonder if guys that use pastes (.5 and .25) a lot instead of stones only use light pressure when stropping, just like guys with sharp razors only {need to} use light pressure when honing . . . ???
So, to make an already too long post, to the point (finally). I think that less and less pressure should be applied to a razor while honing to get it really, really, sharp and that less and less pressure should be applied on the strop to get the razor really, really, smooth.
Any thoughts?