Thread: Hone wear and stropping

If an older razor has a lot of hone wear so that it is only honed further with electrical tape on the spine in order to open up the angle on the edge, should any consideration of hone wear be given when stropping? Should there be more or less tension in the strop? Does it not make any difference at all as a practical matter or even as a theoretical one? Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, google didn't turn up an answer for me.

Theoretically, anything is possible but it doesn't make any difference as a practical matter.

I treat my wedges that took 3 layers of tape the same as my full and extra hollows that I don't tape when it comes to the strop.

Treading very carefully here, with an opinion and observation.. I do NOT want to give the wrong impression so read carefully


Most razors that take 3 layers of tape to hone tend to be the older heavier Sheffields, I have found that in my hands and on my strops that these razors seem to get a bit better effect from the strop by easing up a very tiny amount on the tension while stropping...

A very TINY amount, not some drooping loosely held strop

Try it and see if you get the same results

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Most razors that take 3 layers of tape to hone tend to be the older heavier Sheffields, I have found that in my hands and on my strops that these razors seem to get a bit better effect from the strop by easing up a very tiny amount on the tension while stropping...

A very TINY amount, not some drooping loosely held strop

Try it and see if you get the same results

In playing around with lap count for what was effective I have noticed my Sheffields came around a bit quicker,
Not enough so that I adjusted my stropping, I just kind of wrote it off as the steel being a bit softer.
Granted I am not heavy handed compared to some of the people I have seen.
Now I think I need to play some more

jb45,

I find that for the very few razors I have that need three (3) layers of tape :

1) If you use a paddle strop, then you will benefit from taping when stropping.
2) For a hanging strop, I do exactly as GSSixgun says - allow a little more slack in the strop.

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Just a little...very little.

An interesting observation, when using one layer of wet copy paper under 1um film, the first ¼ -1/3 of the edge is polished in the first few laps with light pressure, finer stria clearly visible under magnification.

That is not a lot of deflection, so a hanging strop will allow for much more deflection and polishing of the edge and the entire bevel, polishing the edge first.

Personally I find a convex bevel last longer and possibly stronger as it is thicker. I prefer a hanging strop to a bench/paddle strop for that purpose.

I also slacken the strop a bit to increase the convexing process.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Most razors that take 3 layers of tape to hone tend to be the older heavier Sheffields, I have found that in my hands and on my strops that these razors seem to get a bit better effect from the strop by easing up a very tiny amount on the tension while stropping...

A very TINY amount, not some drooping loosely held strop

Big +1 to Glen's post. I've been doing the same and actively promoting it for several years now and it works wonders, especially on those big old smilers

The only thing to watch out for is that a loose strop is easier to nick IMO, so your form needs to be spot on.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

An interesting observation, when using one layer of wet copy paper under 1um film, the first ¼ -1/3 of the edge is polished in the first few laps with light pressure, finer stria clearly visible under magnification.

That is not a lot of deflection, so a hanging strop will allow for much more deflection and polishing of the edge and the entire bevel, polishing the edge first.

Personally I find a convex bevel last longer and possibly stronger as it is thicker. I prefer a hanging strop to a bench/paddle strop for that purpose.

I also slacken the strop a bit to increase the convexing process.

Sounds like you might be a "double bevel" kind of guy. They work & work well...