Thread: Strop tension

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

Taught is the right word. Dont pull so hard your arm gets tired. There should be some deflection with each stroke. Bury the spine is some of the best advice I had received. That's a Glen quote
I'm glad you have had a break through.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Good subject! I prefer to go lightly taught for several laps and then tighten up a bit for the remainder.
On the fabric and the leather as-well.

Stropping like we hone. Heavy, then light.
I almost never rehone one. The strops keep them going for the most part.
They get better and better.

I struggle daily with trying to spell the correct word that I want to use. The English language is full of various words that mean different things (to,two, too) and for some reason when I read 'taught' it didn't look right but it Sounds Right!

I have made a vow to memorize this word! TAUT and use it when I write about how a strop is to be held.

https://www.grammar.com/tout-taunt-taut-taught

At 38 I still struggle with the English language!
Take "live" for instance: I live in Egham. I went to see Neil Diamond live - Same word different meaning and lets not get started on cockney rhyming slang me ol chinas.

Oh yeah, taut not tight is the way to go.

Great to hear that you have had a breakthrough. I was very lucky when I started out stropping seemed to be the only thing that went right. Everything else took some sorting out but for some reason the stropping was OK. I did watch a ton of videos before I started and my first strop was a paddle strop so maybe that helped.

I hold my strop taut enough that the strop is straight, but not tight enough that it has no flex when I use it. It seems to work well for me. I still have to refresh on the stones every now and then, but not that often so it's all good.

Thanks for sharing your findings.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

At 38 I still struggle with the English language!
Take "live" for instance: I live in Egham. I went to see Neil Diamond live - Same word different meaning and lets not get started on cockney rhyming slang me ol chinas.

Oh yeah, taut not tight is the way to go.

Kind of like the Scots spell it whisky, and the Irish spell it whiskey. Us yanks spell it whiskey also.

I've always held my pretty tight, but I may need to rethink that. I've read the slight bow in hanging/loom strops is beneficial, so maybe I should reconsider making a paddle strop for my razors.

Originally Posted by JP5

I've always held my pretty tight, but I may need to rethink that. I've read the slight bow in hanging/loom strops is beneficial, so maybe I should reconsider making a paddle strop for my razors.

Like I mentioned, no need to pull what ever is holding your strop out of the wood work. Just pull it taut and there should be a bit of deflection when making a stroke. No need for it to bow under the blade 2 inches. When I was learning, I put the blade on the strop spine only and listened to what that sounded like. Then I brought the blade down in contact with the strop and made a stroke, there is an audible difference. Then from there I decided how much pressure I needed.

It's funny paddle strops are recommended for beginners.
You really need to follow the bevel with those. Not all razors are totally straight? Not all have the same grind. Experience.

A hanging strop should get more of the edge. With a slight bit of slack allowed.
Taut!

I like torte

But when I strop I just try to anchor the strop at my hip level. As long as the 2 ends don't move you can strop with any amount of bow in the strop If you keep the spine pushing the "wave", the edge always trails on flat leather. It's easier to visualise or do it with a soft roo strop. With a deep bow in the strop, of course, that only allows the use of part of the strop or you would be rolling the edge.

Originally Posted by skimonster

Kind of like the Scots spell it whisky, and the Irish spell it whiskey. Us yanks spell it whiskey also.

No matter how you spell it, I’ll take it.
I am glad I found this thread. I have been stripping pretty tight as I thought flex would curl my edge. How do you stop the deflection in the strip from curling your edge over?

Originally Posted by straightshot

No matter how you spell it, I’ll take it.
I am glad I found this thread. I have been stripping pretty tight as I thought flex would curl my edge. How do you stop the deflection in the strip from curling your edge over?

You could only curl your edge if you use excessive pressure or flip towards the edge.
Watch the pressure on the vids below
http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ing-video.html