Thread: Folding the edge...

The big problem with stropping (and straight razors in general) is the mechanics are really easy. It's a very simple process. Holding the strop too taut and using too much pressure will kill an edge.

I recently got a haircut at a barbershop in town. The barber moved the razor down by the side of the chair and went "whoosh, whoosh" with the razor. I thought to myself, holy sh!t, I just witnessed a barber stropping a razor. At the end of the haircut I confronted the barber, an 80 year old Italian. I asked him to demonstrate. He held the strop extended, BUT LOOSE, and stropped. He repeated over and over again, "see it's easy, no big deal". But, to me it was a really big deal.

He wasn't yanking the strop taut like a construction worker, or using severe pressure. He let the strop dangle and react to the razor movement, yet he held the strop extended lightly away from the chair; he held it effortlessly. He held the strop so lightly that he could swirl the razor around any which way he wanted. He swirled the razor, lightly, effortlessly.

He made it look sooooo, easy. And I got it. It is easy!

Now, clearly, if you hold a strop rigid tight and use pressure, the slightest mistake, heck even without a mistake, will fold the edge, effectively ruining it. If you hold the strop rigid tight and use no pressure, you'll only strop the bevel, not the edge. There is no need to strop the bevel.

So, you've got to strop the edge, and you've got to do it lightly. The strop must be extended, but not too rigid. Otherwise you'll fold the edge. There simply isn't any other possible solution. The leather has to deflect some, and an edge can't contact a deflected strop with heavy pressure. Not really with any pressure. Your razor and hand alone is enough pressure.

But, don't take this thought as needing to concentrate on the pressure application of razor and hand. Rather, think of this as an excuse to strop lightly, effortlessly, easily, because your hand will automatically provide all the weight (pressure) you'll ever need, until the edge needs to be honed again.