Building Draw and different strops

I find that building a draw is key to an ultra smooth sharp edge for a nice close shave. I sometimes use a little extra pressure to build the draw up and I have also found that alternating between linen and leather can build a draw up without pressure, much the same way you can hone on 4/8K without using pressure, thus keeping the edge straighter, easier.

I have some strops that don't draw and some that do, so I wonder about others opinions and issues on this. Additionally, are there any other techniques you guys use to build draw that I haven't thought of?

I've found that rubbing the leather with your hand before stropping helps get the draw going easier. It seems that draw is a combination of the edge becoming more aligned and some factor in the leather, maybe heat, maybe a slight nap being raised. Without hand dressing it seems to take 10 or 15 strokes before I can feel much draw. With it the draw is almost immediate.

Josh

Excellent! I shall try that!

I use a Cabinet scraper burnishing tool to get the strop up to a good draw sometimes and for breaking in. This tool is nothing more than a "file" hard piece of round polished bar with a handle. I use it like a razor over the strop very fast till the strop gets warm and the nap comes up. You will notice that the burnisher gets very hot also. The burnisher I prefer is an oval shape in cross section with rounded edges. Using this burnisher on its edge brings up the nap and flat on the oval gets the surface good and supple producing draw.

PuFF

I find some of my softer stropps like my DD 30 never have draw while my harder ones like Tony's #1 has loads of it. I think the surface of the leather has the most to do with it.

OK - but does a strop with more draw sharpen better/faster/sharper, or does it just have more draw?

I've only got a Tony Miller Latigo and one of his practice strops, which appears to be the same leather and has similar draw.

-whatever

-Lou

Well, I have heard different things but basically - the best is to experiment with different leathers and razors. Both more and less draw can work well - at times.

I need more experience before I can talk with authority - but others might chime in.

Cheers
Ivo

I have Tony's Honey brown and it has little draw ----but it works fine for me.



Justin

My TI 3" wide has great draw, but only after I got used to it, which was around my 13th shave.

First I don't really think of stropping as sharpening, but I suppose thats debatable/subjective. I think of it as aligning the edge which produces a better shave as the edge behaves as if its sharper/smoother.

If you use light pressure all the time and don't ever think about how your shaping your edge and working it on the strop and simply rehone anytime things don't go right more draw is just more draw and means little. Although, with draw I can strop in 4-5 passes for a morning shave which I personally find nice. So I think the answer to your question is: yes.

On the other hand if you get an imperfect edge, or its not really all that sharp yet, or its dulling and you use pressure to reset, realign, or stretch out the edge to get a better shave or a resharp one more draw gives you more to work with.

Too much draw with too much pressure stropping can cause problems like rolling, bending, or tearing of the edge.

Knowing the amount of draw you have is beneficial because you can hone a razor up and strop it. When the draw equals a certain amount of pull its sharp and you can eliminate all that complex edge testing stuff.

Most guys just pull taught and strop lightly. I learned to use a strop a little differently because initially my honing wasn't really all that good and I found I could compensate with stropping.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scarface

OK - but does a strop with more draw sharpen better/faster/sharper, or does it just have more draw?

I've only got a Tony Miller Latigo and one of his practice strops, which appears to be the same leather and has similar draw.

-whatever

-Lou

---

When I got my Dovo strop it had a slight nap and almost no draw. I applied Fromm strop dressing. Now the strop has a slick surface and does have draw. I like the draw. It gives me feedback on the edge. The draw increases as I strop, allowing me to lessen pressure and still get feedback. I know I am done when the razor is drawing on the edge, rasping/singing, and I am using very light pressure.

Yes, an excellent description. Exactly as I do it. Sometimes if this fails I'll just do a touch up honing instead of a shave test.

I'm presuming by draw you're talking about the increased resistance you feel, like a sort of sucking or dragging sensation accompanied by a swooshing sound?

I find when I start stropping the strop feels shiny and I get very little resistance or feedback, as I strop the resistance and the swooshing sound increases - I always assumed this is what I'm trying to achieve.

After Lynn mentioned conditioning strops with the oils from the palm of your hand, I tried it one morning and stropped immediately afterwards. The draw was there from the first stroke - a big difference. I now do this every day, maybe 10 strokes with each hand before I start with the razor. I don't know if it's the oils, the warmth, some change in the surface of the leather or whatever.

It certainly feels much "better" while stropping afterwards, but it's hard for me to quantify if it improves the edge or the shave quality. I think it does but maybe it's just me believing theres an improvement - very hard to say.

I have several stropps I alternate. Some have draw and some don't but in the end it makes no difference as far as the shave goes. Alan's right stropping does not sharpen the razor, just dresses it to give you a more comfortable shave which is why its important to stropp before shaving.

I think that if you have a stropp that does produce draw its a good indication the razor is sharp but if you have one that doesn't it means nothing at all.

I was under the impression that less draw is the choice of some of the stropmeisters here... IIRC. didn't vintage strops (even when new) have less draw? I thought so because Tony Miller said that his honey leather feels more like the traditional / vintage strops. (My red latigo has quite some draw and works fine; I must say when I apply more mink oil the draw increases even more)

You can still vary (apply more of less) pressure with less draw.

I figure more draw vs less draw can be likened to fast cutter - slow cutter? E.g. - for fine tune-up you would prefer slow cutter / less draw on the strop. When more action is needed, you go to a faster cutter / more draw. Would love to hear more from the meisters on this

Cheers
Ivo

Alan,

You're a military man. You don't spit shine your strops to increase draw??? :eek:

Seriously, thanks for posting this thread. I've used the "hand rub" method and had good results, but this is a forever learning process.

RT

No Randy, I tried that. I was able to use the strop as a shaving mirror when I was done but it does not increase draw. :)

The strop in the linen side can be sharpening...

just remember Lynn DVD, he shows a linen strop almost black.....

the darkness in the linen side are small parts of metal.....

I'm finding this thread fascinating but a little confusing. If increased draw is an indication that you're done stropping and your razor is ready, then why do people want to use techniques (hand-rubbing, etc.) that create draw from the get-go?

I have a latigo leather from handamerican that has lots of draw, though I can't say I'm feeling it change much over the course of a stropping. I think perhaps I'm stropping ignorantly, just doing fifty passes or so keeping the razor as flat and light on the leather as possible.

It is my experience that when the strop leather dries out that applying some furniture leather dressing increases its draw. I also rub the ball om my thumb and little finger on the strop leather before stropping.

Tony Miller recommends neatsfoot oil on his Latigo, haven't tried it yet.