Thread: Dulling blades on a strop

Thanks for this useful post!

Attention to detail like this saves me a lot of time on occasion, and I have suspected my early stropping to have dulled one of my razors. I do believe I will go at it on my fine stone longer than I was previously willing.

Just to be clear, Alan, when you talk about sagging, you aren't talking about a strop that is just short of taut, but is really sagging--describing a slope or making a U-shaped valley, so to speak?

I guess it makes sense, because when you are going done that slope, you aren't going parallel to the strop anymore. You are almost dragging the edge across the strop's surface--or at least that's the mental picture I get.

Thanks for doing this so others don't!

Dan

Actually a great experiment !!!!!!
I have always said a strop is a tool that either brings a keen fine edge to a razor or will wreck one faster than you would ever believe....
I will admit that I never realized how bad it could wreck one though, I would have thought the 20 strokes on a fine hone would bring it back too....
Thanks for taking the time and effort Alan

Nothing wrong with this experiment Alan.

Once we find the cause, we can eliminate the cure. And this does that exactly. I always wondered about people saying using a heavy stroke on the strop dulls the edge because I lean a fair bit on the strop (linen side). I find this gives me a better edge and can often save me having to go to the stones.

Excellent!

That is interesting. I've been wondering about pressure on the linen lately. I'll have to try that.

Originally Posted by poona

I lean a fair bit on the strop (linen side). I find this gives me a better edge and can often save me having to go to the stones.

Excellent!

Haha! I found out the best way to wipe an edge off with a strop almost the first time I laid razor to leather.... It's an easy three step process:

1. paste one side of strop with Dovo red paste;

2. Lay razor on pasted strop;

3. Let the strop sag, and strop away!

Beautiful dull edge in seconds

I'm glad you did this experiment Alan - like Poona says, knowing the cause helps avoid the problem. Your post brought back traumatic and deeply suppressed memories for me, and I can now recall and totally agree with how much effort is required to fix up the edge...

James.

thanks for the idea of deliberately looking at ways to dull an edge, therefore providing awareness of the dangers of how to do it....

I found that rolling my edge on a strop worked quite well for me, not only did i nick the strop but buggered a shave ready edge with no way of re-sharpening it...took me a while to progress i can tell you.

A great experiment and thanks alan for the info..

regards,simon

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Actually a great experiment !!!!!!
I have always said a strop is a tool that either brings a keen fine edge to a razor or will wreck one faster than you would ever believe....
I will admit that I never realized how bad it could wreck one though, I would have thought the 20 strokes on a fine hone would bring it back too....
Thanks for taking the time and effort Alan

I learned it the hard way. When I first started using straight razors, I had Lynn hone my starter razor. My very first use with the razor was undermined because my poor stropping dulled the razor. I never enjoyed the honemeister sharpness.

A very experienced friend showed me that about 3/4" of sag is preferable to very taut. Does that agree with your experience?

As a relative newbie who just figured out how to strop correctly, this strop probably kept me from doing something stupid in my quest for even greater improvements. Nicely done.