Thread: A stropping challenge

How about risk of overhoning? If you keep honing more than you need to compensate for loss of sharpness you'll eventually get a crumbling cutting edge aka wire edge aka overhoned edge.

My USD 0.02

IMHO over honing is a myth. If you notice a thin edge, burr, run the edge over some cardboard using the weight of the blade to remove it. Check for sharpness and move on.

As long as the bevel is set properly and you are ONLY (spine leading) stropping the stone or newspaper WHEN you need it. When will you over hone?

Originally Posted by singlewedge

IMHO over honing is a myth. If you notice a thin edge, burr, run the edge over some cardboard using the weight of the blade to remove it. Check for sharpness and move on.

What you are describing is one of the remedies for an overhoned edge, so what do you mean by "overhoning is a myth"?

If you overhone the edge starts to crumble creating a burr. One of the ways to remove that burr is the one you describe.

My position has been that when a razor has the bevel set correctly then simply removing the scratches from the lower grit stone will not over hone. You could remove the submicron cutting edge, but that is because you are not paying attention.

I think that people use the word overhone to mean something that it should not mean. My definition of over honing is to remove the submicron cutting edge and/or fold the edge over. A simple spine leading motion for 4 laps will correct the folded edge but the removal or thinning of the edge will have to be removed as a burr and then the edge started over. This is my definition of over honing.

As it applies to this thread. When you are spine leading you are always using MINIMAL strokes and ONLY when there is a need. Yes if you do something too frequently you will harm the edge. You need to constantly talk to the edge of the razor to make sure that it needs what you are prescribing.

As a total newb I made a palm size strop/hone with balsa and leather treated with cro; working out of town I used this daily with 20-30 laps. Eventually the edge broke down to harsh prickly chipped up mess. 2.5 to 3 inch strokes = not many on a standard paddle or hanger. It lasted about 3 months or so.

could have just been stubborn newb syndrome, or perhaps a problem with the razor steel or just maybe an effect of extensive backhoning

Just gonna put this out there... I couldn't really do this per se, but when I first started all I had was a shave ready straight, a text book and some newspaper. Wrap the text in newspaper and strop a bit was my "stropping" and it held the edge really well. The thing is slowly getting duller, and after I moved to stropping on newspaper and my jeans I think I did even better, but the newspaper was DEFINITELY helping when it was just newspaper vs. no newspaper, with or without a denim or leather strop. I definitely think newspaper can be used for very very slight touch ups, and I definitely would put some faith in this. But why not do both? Touch up then run a few laps?

I have tried honing the edge on a very fine stone and have kept up a nice sharp blade as long as I hone it very lightly, and with only 4-5 strokes on each side. It does not replace a nice honing of a strop though. With the leather of the strop, the blade edges turn out much more smooth, and this helps with the shave, especially for someone like me who uses it to trim their beard, and around their beard. The smooth edge helps the blade to cut through the thick hair easier than the rough edge you will get from a stone. Either way, stone or strop, you get a nice sharp razor's blade, but how you desire the edge of the blade will depend upon what you will use to hone it with.

To continue.

I shaved with the same blade this morning after not touching it for almost a week due to my stitches and my fingers healing.

I am happy to report that the edge is still sharp, still does not need to be stropped and I have not stropped the edge.

I will continue in this vein until the edge gives up. I am going to add my favorite razor to the mix and shave with a two razor rotation now.

I will now be using an FBU 1/2 hollow 7/8 and a 5/8 Geo. W. Korn Full hollow. In order to dry the blade after use I strop 1 time on each side with newspaper. Newspaper is more absorbent than leather so once should be enough. If I start to see discoloration I will start to add oil to the mix.

BTW I picked up a pair of cut resistant gloves from Youngstown in the hope of not going in for more stitches.

I know that others have tried this method how has your experience been?

Shaved today with my Full Hollow Geo.W. Korn 5/8. Wicked Sharp. I ran it over newspaper 5 times to polish before I started.

Went to work. Shaved as good as it had before, which is BBS. No leather, no paper in between passes and still shaved great on the ATG.

Dried on paper with 3 strokes.

Monday will be the 1/2 hollow FBU again with no leather and like I said I will keep this up until I need to resharpen. Resharpen means that a barber hone (Pike Swaty in my case) or newspaper no longer keeps the edge shave ready.

this is sounds more like just regular minimal stropping maintenance.

little strips of leather or newspaper. (what is the recycle content of newsprint- I bet there is all sorts of abrasive particles in there.)

I don't quite have that magic touch to go for a year 'cause nothing works just right every time.

Always good to learn new stuff so I will finally try newspaper