Thread: Straight and diagonal stropping

Last 2 weeks I changed my stropping technique and find I get much better results.

My go to strop is a TM 3" Latigo genuine linen.

I used to do 40 laps on the linen, straight up and down followed by 60 laps on the leather, also straight up and down.

For 2 weeks I have been getting better results doing 20 laps up and down on the linen followed by 20 diagonal laps on the linen, then 30 laps up and down on the leather followed by 30 diagonal laps on the leather.

Any one else stropping this way?

I hone with the Heel slightly forward and I strop with the Toe slightly forward this in my OCD brain this keeps all the striations in line, which I think makes the razor cut better.... I don't know, but it seems to work for me...

I strop diagonally but I do it all the time, and I don't normally alternate back and forth between the leather and linen.
Edit: I tend to strop toe-leading as well, for the same reason as stated above, even though I no longer believe in toothed edged. But by now it's a habit...

I am using the SRD premium 1 and having just stropped a razor I find I do go straight up and down but I don't keep the razor perpendicular to the strop. I am slightly angling it. I used to do a sort of x pattern when I only used a 2 1/2" strop but getting accustomed to the 3" width I have gotten away from that.

Originally Posted by mparker762

I strop diagonally but I do it all the time, and I don't normally alternate back and forth between the leather and linen.

I don't think I mentioned alternating between linen and leather. I first do straight and diagonal laps on the linen then ditto on the leather.

Originally Posted by Kees

I don't think I mentioned alternating between linen and leather. I first do straight and diagonal laps on the linen then ditto on the leather.

sorry i misread that sentence.

I also strop diagonally all the time, and don't alternate between sides. I strop on the linen for about 10 or so strokes, and than use leather for 20...

Nenad

I tend to strop with the toe leading at about a 5 degree angle all the time it just seen more natral to me

I strop both diagonally and straight, and mostly diagonally. I start with linen, go to leather, and - even though this isn't usually done - then back to linen for about 2-3 passes.

The reason I go back to linen is because I noticed, using the HHT, that going back to linen for even a very small number of passes increases the efficiency of the HHT. I doubt I would have noticed this difference by the (most important) shave test.

I am using a vintage Illinois 6509 strop, and I love it! But, I have no historical awareness of what went on that strop thru the years. It doesn't appear pasted. But, I suspect there is a long buildup of oils and such. And, while that makes the strop work well, my theory at the moment is that the residue on the strop builds up on the edge and bevel during stropping.

My best guess is that returning to the linen for only a very small number of passes removes the small amount of buildup on the blade.

I am mentioning this because strop procedure was asked. I doubt the return to the linen strop is all that significant.

I do 50 X-pattern on SRD 3" Latigo and
50 on fabric. Sometimes I mix it up and strop no-X