Thread: Revisor stropping recommendations

A recommendation in a Revisor flyer caught my eye.

“Only eventually! When stropping our 8/8 razors, make sure to lift the spine of the razor approx.., 1-2mm above the strop. This will be sure that you’ll maintain maximum sharpness despite the width of the blade.”

Is this good advice?

I'm not experienced enough to do something like this plus biggest I got is 6/8. Har!!

Hmmmmm

Yes but No

When stropping the really large or really heavy grind razors if you give a tiny bit more slack it will accomplish the exact same thing safely and without trying to hold the spine off the strop

Experiment with the amount of "Tautness" to get the best edge

How do you keep the spine steady 1-2 mm above the strop? I think it's safer to not keep the strop to "tight" (I hope it's the correct word) when stropping big blades, to get good contact with the spine.

If there is anyone that can do this I want to see it in slow motion under high speed camera frame by frame!!!!!

I agree with letting the strop droop just a tad.

Some advice is better left unwritten :<0) Someone should revise that flyer.

Let me put it this way. The people who wrote that flyer are the same people who made their razors. Chances are that, after decades of making razors, they just may know ever so slightly better what they are talking about than the casual user.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hmmmmm

Yes but No

When stropping the really large or really heavy grind razors if you give a tiny bit more slack it will accomplish the exact same thing safely and without trying to hold the spine off the strop

Experiment with the amount of "Tautness" to get the best edge

After almost three years I am finally getting this part and my razor are finally lasting longer. From a heavy handed slow learner. Har!!

My lack of expertise is what prompted question. I would have destroyed so many razors trying to do the spine lift.

Spine lift would be journey level stropping but why take the chance when tautness is so much easier to accomplish. I found the hard way that less tautness does less damage than too much tautness. I have damage razors and strops getting to this point. Har! Love it.

..

That advice from Revisor is very, very good! I would suggest not taking the advice as a precise instruction. In practice, the precise angle isn't important - what is of importance is to focus attention on good contact with the edge of the razor on the stropping surface. Without bearing down on the strop, raise the spine so that it barely skims the surface or floats above it just a tiny bit. One millimeter, two, three... makes no appreciable difference. Ensuring that the edge and not the spine remains in contact during the stroke can make a world of difference in how sharp and smooth the edge becomes.

Is the advice only for 8/8 sized blades?

Bob

Were their instructions for paddle strops?