[QUOTE=mparker762;461005]Unless, on the second stroke after reversing direction, you absentmindedly let your muscle memory flip it the same way you did on the previous ten strokes, digging it into your strop. QUOTE]

but why would you do that?

all I can tell you is I haven't come close to scratching the strop, and I'm not particularly skilled nor particularly attentive. and I've never heard anyone raise issues with the professional honing stroke, even though it's exactly the same twist on normal honing muscle memory and actually a great deal more scary because you are edge leading on a stone.

anyway, different strokes for different folks [how's that for punny], but I'd try this before hypothetically eliminating it as a bad idea. It's really just not that hard, and it works for me and might be useful to others if constant flipping is a nuisance to their carpal tunnels or they have blades that give them fits on flipping.