Thread: What does stropping really do?

I suppose I have never used a microscope as the use of them would only be confusing to me. I do what I know works.
With exception of damage to the edge, a properly honed and properly-stropped quality blade will continue almost indefinitely with proper stropping on fabric/leather and will get better and better as doing so. All I know. All I care about. Note 'Proper'!
Using pastes and abrasives in the mix? Up to you!


'Spare the strop, spoil the edge'

JMO

The micrographs show just how thin and fragile the edge really is, we cannot see it, with a 100X hand held scope.

I cannot tell you how many times, a razor coming off a 20k stone will not cut hair like it did at 1k. But, do 20 laps on a Vintage Horse Hide strop and it will treetop a crop of hair.

I have never understood that, you would think coming off a high grit stone, the edge would be as straight as it is going to get?

Stropping works, SRD’s Chrome Oxide and is about 30k, looks can be deceiving.

Wipe your strops, with a damp paper towel and see how much dust is on them.

Originally Posted by Utopian

No good.
There are abrasive silicates in the ocean too.

Would be more interesting to try extraterrestrial alien leather

Or the Hannibal Lecter strop:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ml#post1075786