Thread: Does stropping keep the razor sharp?

Anyone remember that thread with pictures of a DE blade pre and post stropping? There was definitely metal removed by the leather strop.
As someone already mentioned, isn't removing metal to make a keener/rust-free/smoother on the face edge considered sharpening?

I'm with Utopian/hoglagoo too. It's a matter or degree. Coarse hones remove lots of metal, medium hones remove less, and fine remove very little. The 4k cuts, while an 8k polishes. A pasted strop is more agressive than a non pasted strop. A strop is more aggressive than colored newsprint. Each sharpens much less then its predecessor, relatively.

It's a simple question: Does stropping keep the razor sharp? Well... does your razor get more dull from stropping? No. Does it stay the same? No. It gets sharper!

Grass is green, water is wet, and sharper is still sharper... even if you aren't removing metal!!

Here's the semantic problem we are banging our heads against:
The cutting ability of the razor (sharpness) is independent of the action of the stone or strop on the edge (metal removed, metal aligned, nicks smoothed, etc.).

Well I have to say no it does not sharpen it under normal stropping. It just straightens the microscopic teeth back into alignment. Now If you were to strop millions of laps then I would say yes that the tiny abrasive within the leather would start to sharpen it.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

but does it keep the razor sharp? Attachment 52859

Yes it does keep it sharp , until it needs to be honed .

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Does normal, plain leather stropping keep the edge sharp? And if so, is it safe to say the strop sharpens the razor?

I am sure this came up before, but "plain leather" is not so plain. There are abrasive silicates and other salts that are in the leather, some resulting from the tanning and some are natural. Some of these compounds are harder than steel and will to some degree scratch or sharpen steel.

I'm with Utopian/hoglagoo too. It's a matter or degree. Coarse hones remove lots of metal, medium hones remove less, and fine remove very little. The 4k cuts, while an 8k polishes. A pasted strop is more agressive than a non pasted strop. A strop is more aggressive than colored newsprint. Each sharpens much less then its predecessor, relatively.

It's a simple question: Does stropping keep the razor sharp? Well... does your razor get more dull from stropping? No. Does it stay the same? No. It gets sharper!

Grass is green, water is wet, and sharper is still sharper... even if you aren't removing metal!!

Here's the semantic problem we are banging our heads against:
The cutting ability of the razor (sharpness) is independent of the action of the stone or strop on the edge (metal removed, metal aligned, nicks smoothed, etc.).

I completely agree, whether it removes metal or just aligns the edge, if it means it cuts hair easier, I say its made it sharper. If stropping put a smily face on your razor and that cut hair better, I would count that as sharper.

I think of it as how often would you need to hone if you didn't strop? It has to do some category of sharpening.


regards alex

if there is a clear and general consensus on the definitions of what exactly sharpening is and smoothing is, we can all understand the same thing under these two words and avoid confusion

From all that I've read, the strop removes oxidation, re-aligns the edge, and remove a little metal. That's what I know.

If it is not sharp enough to start stropping and you press real hard you can sharpen it maybe. (not recommended though)

I wouldnt recommend that. Down that road lies a sliced strop or wrecked razor!

Stropping is the final finish on the blade before it goes on your face, and whilst the strop burnishes the edge to make it smoother it doesnt actually remove steel. More pressure on the strop wont change that, it just increases the chance of a mishap.

If 100 strokes on the strop doesnt get the edge shave ready then you need to drop to a hone or paste to bring things back.