Thread: Technique Feedback Please

You have rolled the edge.

Paddle strops are notorious for rolling edges with new stroppers. They do not “Give” like a hanging strop and will roll an edge easily with too much pressure.

Once rolled, you will have to look straight down on the edge, to see if it is rolled or broken off. It is easily broken or chipped, when flexed in the other direction. The cutting edge of a razor is very thin, and can only be seen with 1,000 power or higher, much more fragile than folks think.

Stropping can be difficult to learn, too much pressure and or lifting the spine just once, can ruin an edge.

Look at the edge with magnification, what you see, will dictate the repair, most probably a touch up honing.

Slow down, use light downward pressure, stop forward motion… before you flip and keep the spine on the strop at all times.

Flip with your fingers, holding the corners of the tang in the middle of the thumb and pad of the forefinger. Move the thumb, like flipping a switch. Torque just enough to keep the spine and bevel flat on the strop.

It is hard to see your flip in the video, but does seem to be a bit of fumbling

If you flip using the wrist, it is uncomfortable and you can slam the edge on the strop. If you lift one end of the strop off the table, holding in the hand so you have a little bit of give to the strop surface.

Yes, you will have to keep going back to the finisher, until you master stropping. Make sure that you are fully resetting the edge with your finisher, you may need to drop down to lower grit if the damage is more severe.

As you learn to strop, first you will learn to do no or less damage, then gradually improve the edge. It can take a year or so to get to the point where you are consistently improving and edge.