Thread: Wedges vs hollows

I can't imagine why the hard surface strop would be recommended over a hanging strop for wedges. I know from using my paddle for travel that it requires a little more care. The benefit of the hanging strop is that the edge virtually never runs into an unmovable object since no matter how taut you pull the strop it will always sag slightly under pressure.

X

This whole "sag" issue is why I was wondering about some REALLY thick leather
in my "makin strops" post.

Not to hijack but wouldn't a really thick piece of leather, even if it did sag, roll an edge less ??

Just because it can't make the turn around the trailing edge at a sharp an angle.

Wouldn't a thick (like 3/8) hanging strop act more like a paddle due to increased rigidity???

Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

Wouldn't a thick (like 3/8) hanging strop act more like a paddle due to increased rigidity???

I guess that's a matter of degrees. A;though it might be logical to assume that a thicker leather would act more like a paddle strop, it's probably truer to say that it acts less like a thinner leather strop. I know that Barbers tended to prefer the thickest, widest and longest (not to mention firmest) leather manageable.

X

I am playing with a vintage bear (black bear?) skin strop and it's just about 3/8 after years of use. It cost 12.50 at the time, which was ridiculously expensive, too.

I am thinking the thickness was to fight wear from use, stretching and deformations, mostly. Do not believe it gives any better edge.

Cheers
Ivo

Just to jump in here, I think like others have said all strops flex to a point. No matter how you hold a hanging strop there is flex to it and all the paddles I've seen have a design so that there is flex there also. I think if you did not have flex the hard unyielding surface would damage the edge when you strop. I don't think the thickness of the strop would bear on this (no pun intended) but a thicker strop is more durable, less inclined to deform and more luxurious.

The test here would be to glue a leather strop to a hardwood block and use it for stropping for awhile and see what happens. I'm sure Ivo wouldn't mind using his maestro for that experiement eh?

Isn't that exactly what a paddle strop is?
Did I miss something here?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I'm sure Ivo wouldn't mind using his maestro for that experiement eh?

You are right, Duke! I wouldn't, too bad I don't actually have a Maestro yet... been thinking about it, now I am seriously considering a Robert Williams blade.

Cheers
Ivo