Thread: strop width

While a 3" wide sharping hone provides all kinds of advantages, I don't think a 3" wide strop provides the same advantages. For one, while a stone will always stay flat if properly flattened when it shows wear and dishing, a strop will not. The wider the strop, the more tendancy for the edges to curl, or the middle to dip or to protrude. Also, although there is some debate on this, many feel that drawing the blade not only North and South with the heel leading, but also East and West as it moves along the strop, greatly improves the quality of the polishing action of the strop. If this is the case, the extra 1/2" of a 3" strop would be wasted, as a 2 1/2" strop only allows a half inch of movement as it is. A 2" strop would provide even more movement left and right, but would require more skill, and I have heard of master barbers that actually prefer a 2" strop for this reason. I think 2 1/2" is a compromise that has been found to be the most beneficial to the greatest number of users with varying degrees of skill, without the extra cost of the 3" strop....thus you see mostly 2 1/2" strops. At least that is my take on the matter.

Bob

Sorry I have to disagree with you. I have a 3" strop I got from classic four months ago it hangs on my bathroom door and I use it daily it has not curled dipped or protruded. Because of it's size I am able to strop early in the morning without chopping up the strop as I am doing an up and down motion and not an x pattern. I am also sure the x pattern was thought up because somone made a smaller strop and needed to work it.

The "X" Stroke Pattern taught to barbers for generations has born out to be the best way to get converging 'scratch lines' to create the 'cutting fins' on the blade edge while honing.

Using this pattern to strop, as well, should 'polish' the edge along the same path. That said, In MY OPINION, I thing one should strop using the "X" Pattern, but in the REVERSE angles for the blade.

(Heel leading during honing; TIP leading during stropping!)

In either case, the "X" is crucially important in the honign process, probably not so much in the stropping process.

Chaaaz,

Are you saying I'm full of strop?? :lol:

Hi Rich,

That 3" Dovo is a one fine strop. I had considered getting one myself, but opted for some classic barber style strops. I do have a couple of narrower Dovos and they do a find job. Best of all, they don't need any conditioning before use. I also like the linen that came with my narrower two sided Dovo. When ever I need to use linen, I use the Dovo.

If I had a 3" Dovo, I would still slope my blade with the shoulder leading with each stroke. Not only does this maintain an X type pattern, but more importantly, you're less likely to roll the blade during the stroke. This works for me. There's no need to change your stropping method, whatever it may be, if it's working for you.

Hal

Both Chaaaz and David apparently strop leading with the point rather than the heel. I have never even tried stropping leading with the point - I tried honing that way a few times with terrible results, so never tried doing anything with it again. Do others also strop with the point leading?
It seems that either will work, as Chaaaz and David have great results, and myself and others have had great results leading with the heel/shoulder. Anyone remember what the old barber's texts recommend?

Bob

In his video, the master barber Greg Ives demonstrates his stropping method with the shoulder leading.
Hal

[quote="string"]Both Chaaaz and David apparently strop leading with the point rather than the heel.

*****> I do it *both* ways! By stropping with the point leading, I felt that I was mimicking the scratch pattern of the honing strokes exactly. But lately, I have returned to honing with the heel leading, and still have fine results.

As to the pasted strop question, I have begun using the HA green pasted .05 micron flatbed, and it is making a difference to me, anyway, even after using the 12K stone. Polishes the edge nicely, methinks!

Different strokes for different folks!

What can I say? I'm obsessive-compulsive with sharpening ..... the point leads during stropping, the heel leads during honing, fewer fins on the carpet afterwards, LOL

Hal,

Thanks for the reply. I can see what you mean about rolling the blade. I think I have gotten it down though. (Watch now that I said that I'll probably crap out a razor) :shock: I really like the wide body kind of like me. :lol: