Thread: A stropping challenge

I spent this weekend at a forge learning the ways of knife making. During my stay an interesting piece of knowledge was passed along. I tried it this morning, HOLY CRUD!!! It really works.

This is what you need for the challenge:
A honed razor that you are familiar with the edge qualities either personally sharpened or professionally sharpened.
A finish stone like a Swaty or something similar.

Here is the challenge:
Instead of stropping the razor, no leather at all. I would like you to strop the razor on your finish hone, usually 5 or 6 times per side. Feel the edge before the strop and after. Is there an appreciable difference? Strop again 3 or 4 times. Feel the edge. Shave. Was there a difference? Try this for 2 weeks with the same razor. No leather stropping only strop on the stone when you feel an appreciable difference in the edge with your fingers. No stropping between passes either. Stone only. By appreciable difference I mean that if you put your thumb on the spine and place your first three fingers on the blade and move them lightly back and forth the edge should feel "sticky". You will notice that it will get "stickier" the sharper it gets. There is a point of over sharpening though so do not go nuts.

I did this with my 7/8 FBU this morning. BBS in one pass and I was having problems getting that blade to come up.

After 2 weeks I will explain the logic behind this seeming madness.

Have fun and please let me know your thoughts on this.