Thread: Different Razors need Different Stropping

I want to share some stropping observations gained recently from observing the actual razors on my hanging strop that may help others, especially those new to stropping (I'm fairly new myself).

When I started, I thought that it was critical to keep a strop taught and apply no or virtually no pressure to the blade, basically passing the blade back and forth on the strop with only the weight of the blade. I produced no results with this, in fact the middle of my edges dulled since unbeknown to me, I was causing my strop to cup with the tension, become concave and not even touch the middle of the edge.

Deflection and some pressure in my experience if reasonable, is not only a good thing, it's necessary. The intent is to polish that edge after all. That edge simply has to make contact with the strop across the entire edge. There is a danger, I assume of "rounding" the edge of the blade if pressed too firmly into the strop or the strop is left to be too slack, but I think it's important to remember that edge although delicate, is not tin foil. I have not rounded my edges yet with my stropping.

The main reason I wanted to create this post is to point out that each blade based on its quirks will require small but critical alterations to stropping technique. Just as some blades need alterations during honing (warped blade, etc), it's no different with stropping. You can therefore learn A LOT by really looking closely at how that edge lays on the strop before starting a stroke. Is the entire edge completely flat on the strop on BOTH sides? If not, you'll need to slack the strop a bit on the side that has some of the edge not making contact until the entire edge contacts the strop. I have a great razor that requires about 1/4" slack on one side and I would say close to 1" slack on the other to have both sides of the edge receive a good polish.

If I get time, I'll post some close up pics illustrating what I'm talking about.