Thread: 3" X stroke?

So is it possible to perform a decent X stroke on a 3" wide strop w/o an outrageous risk of knicking it? I've seen some less than confirmed but circumstantial evidence for the merits of an X vs straight stropping stroke and would like to have the option for an X stroke as I currently do on an old belt. However I would like to try a 3" strop (and Tony is working 3" material sooner than 2 1/2" hehe)....

Can anyone speak to this?

I don't see any reason why you can't do an "x" stroke on a 3" strop . Go for it !

Dito that. As always, be patient and attentive.

X

I will be the voice of dissent.

With a 3" strop, you can run the entire razor up and down the strop, and the entire razor gets stropped.

If you go with an X strpping pattern on there, all you will be doing is giving the toe of the razor more time on the strop, and the heel of the razor less time. If this is done on a hone, it is what leads to toe wear on old razors.

A 2" strop with X pattern the toe and heel should see equal time on the strop, but the middle portion will see more time than either the toe or heel. If this were done on a hone, it is what leads to a razor "frown" wear on old razors.

A strop that is much narrower than the blade (ala an old belt), the time each part of the razor spends on the strop evens out with an X pattern.

So, in my opinion....if you have a 3" strop, blast away up and down the full width, no X-ing. A 2 1/2 strop I do in a similar manner, but with the razor tilted a bit to fit it all on there.

X stroke stropping works fine on a 3 inch strop without problem.

Lynn

I have a 3" TM latigo and do an x pattern, no problems yet. But you should be able to strop straight up and down with good form and avoid nicking the strop.

I figure that X-pattern stropping will counteract any unevenness of the strop, so I do a mix of straight and X-pattern. I don't see it as critical in any way though. As long as the sound and feel of the stropping is consistent by the time you finish it's all good.

I think you could strop X pattern for a hundred years and not see uneven wear on a razor. Its not the same as with a hone because its so much softer. In the end you can strop either way. Do both and see if there is a difference in the final result.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I think you could strop X pattern for a hundred years and not see uneven wear on a razor. Its not the same as with a hone because its so much softer. In the end you can strop either way. Do both and see if there is a difference in the final result.

I'm not saying it will lead to uneven wear, I was trying to illustrate the fact that the edge will see differing amounts of time actually "on the strop".