Thread: Stropping heel leading ?

Is there any harm in leading with the heel when stopping? Only recently have noticed that I've got into this habit.

Also, should there be any difference in stropping technique between dovo chalk pasted cotton and leather? Have the feeling have been using cotton too slack and doing more harm than good.

Obviously meant stropping in title, hate spell correct on this phone.

It doesn't matter how you do it as long as you have smooth strokes and the entry and exit points on the strop are proper so you don't slice the strop and/or damage your edge. X strokes are preferred anyway so shifting the heel and toe while stropping is beneficial.

I almost always strop with heel leading. No problem.

I habitually strop with the heel leading, always with an x-stroke.

Occasionally, with some blades, the shoulder roughs up the edge of the strop a bit. But a bit of mindfulness to lighten my touch and listen for more even contact always straightens things out.

When honing, heel leading puts the shoulder farther from the hone. When stropping it would put the shoulder closer to the strop.

+1 on all above. Heel forward X strokes are aslo perfect for smiling blades

Honestly I doubt it matters


BUT


To my OCD brain,, to strop heel first means yer doing it wrong, I strop toe first to keep the stria matching from the heel forward honing...

makes the world revolve right for me, and yes it makes me happy

Hey you asked

Tried going toe forward, just felt weird. Might have to give it another go.

I never really though about it, but I guess I am a toe first stropper. I tried heel first and it felt wrong! I don't see how it would make much difference, but I have been known to be wrong. (Many, many times!)

Another thing to contemplate on a hanging strop is, as flipping the razor and beginning another stroke, Some adjustment will be required to strop off in a different direction. I strop with x-strokes, so making adjustments at the end of stroke is normal. The razor is just canted as the spine is upon the strop as it is moved upwards before lowering the edge and stropping the opposite direction. I will admit that as-stropping heel or toe first, I do gravitate to level at the end of the stroke. I use this on smiling edges mostly and mix up the heel/toe first strokes as I strop. Seems easier than stropping 'rolling-x'!

On a paddle or bench strop, one can easily strop the blade off, making a complete swoop. Flip, and set it back down as-desired for the next stroke.
YMMV