Thread: X Pattern on the Strop

Folks on the CD "The Lost Art of Straight Razor Shaving" Greg Ives suggests a particular method of stropping the razor. He holds the strop in his left hand about waist high turns the razor at an angle with the back and heel leading the way. He does not use an X pattern on the strop. I am curious what the more experienced honemisters use and the benefits.

jmsbcknr

This is interesting.
I do use an X pattern when stropping, or keep all of the blade on the strop with the top end leading. But when you think of it, these stropping actions are actually somewhat perpendicular-ish to the direction that the edge is honed.
I'm gonna try heal leading, just to see.
Thanks!
Parry

OK...Now that I've tried this with a razor in my hand...
While stropping, if we're trying to move the edge of the blade in a motion that's parallel, but opposite, direction to that of honing, then the X motion on the strop doesn't do that, assuming we're honing with an X pattern. A tip leading stropping motion would do that.
But since barbers and shavers have been doing an X, particularly with narrower strops, I'm not one to go against the conventional wisdom, especially since it works for me. I also decided that I'm more used to the tip leading pattern sometimes.
Thanks for getting me to think about this again, jms. It's good to recall why we do things the way we do.
I'm still curious, though, why Mr. Ives does a heel leading stropping motion. As far as the left handed part, I think he just may be left-handed. ink:
Parry

Hi James,

I have tried both ways and they actually both work well. I am so used to the X pattern for everything, that I strop that way out of habbit.

Lynn

I use the "X" pattern as well, especially since I have a 2" Norton hone! I use it with the strops I have as well - regardless of width. Habit, I guess. I have Greg Ives DVD too, and I think that he does an okay job showing the motion.

In my humble opinion, I think the "X" creates opposing scratch marks, which is what makes the microscopic 'saw teeth' that make a razor sharp, and able to cut. I did see a site that proposed that a shaving stroke should never be parallel to the floor; rather, at an angle, either tip high, or heel high, in order to take advantage of the razor's edge pattern.

Soooo....I guess I am a fan of the "X" for both honing and stropping!

Best -