Thread: Stroping backward

I have a question but I am not sure I can put it so it is understood. I am going to try.
When honing a razor in the X pattern we do that with the heel slightly leading expecially on a narrow stone. That puts the teeth at a slight angle toward the heel.
When we strop we also do it in an X pattern with the heel leading but the razor is backward putting the teeth in the other direction. Why is this.
Shouldn't we strop with the point forward so it goes in the same direction as the teeth we have already put on the blade?
I know on a wide stone we can push the blade straight across but still when we hone we hone with the heel leading a little.

Originally Posted by mackie

When we strop we also do it in an X pattern with the heel leading

this is not true for everyone. Some folks strop leading with the heel, some with the toe, some with neither, and some use a combination of those

I don't know if there's a best way to strop or what difference the "teeth" make, but I know I can sometimes feel a difference in how the bevel is making contact with the strop between leading the with heel and leading with the toe. I'm curious as to the right answer to your question so I look forward to reading the stropmeisters answers

Mack I am with you on this...

And being "OCD boy" as the wife calls me I do exactly that strop with the toe leading. I even try and keep it at the same angle...

And ask Lee, he has stood right next to me while I hone I really don't believe in the "straight stroke" down the hone.. There is always an angle and I even mix up the strokes as I hone to keep the edge even... Whether all this really makes a difference, I couldn't tell you, I think it does, but I could never prove it...

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

so I look forward to reading the stropmeisters answers

Stropmeisters ???? Damn ! another goal to shoot for ....

Here's an older thread with some discussion of the subject. Personally I have found no real appreciable difference between stropping with the hone striations and not, but that is not to say there isn't any. Better stroppers than me do it that way, so there must be something to it.

James.

I strop with an x pattern and mix up the angles and alter the strokes as I go. Is it better than going straight up the strop? I don't know but it's how I do it.

I don't think x patterns are about teeth patterns. They are about completeness and consistency and a proper (high quality) stroke.

Strops, especially, don't impart directional striations. So, stropping backwards is especially puzzling to me.

Additionally, thin hones and strops are more about freedom of movement and concentration of honing action. You can strop all over a 2 inch wide strop, but a 3 inch wide strop requires a linear up and down stroke. My arm actually finds it pretty hard to go striaight up and down. I'm thankful for a 2 inch wide strop. To me a 2 inch wide strop feels like it is 5 inches wide, because I can move the blade 3 inches in each direction mid stroke.

These are all concepts that are impossible to explain in a way that anyone would accept. With time and practice you'll start to at least understand my perspective on the idea.

"Teeth" are a myth from pre-microscope days (if you don't believe me, try and find a picture of them at any magnification to prove me wrong) so it doesn't matter which 'direction' you strop. As mentioned, a smooth, even stroke is all you need.

OK someone correct me if I am wrong here but this is just how I see it.
Everyting I have read talks about making sure you hone correctly so that the teeth of the edge grab the whisker to cut it. If this is wrong then why not just hone back and forth from heel to toe instead of across in an X pattern making sure each stroke is the same?
Also why would you have to go straight back and forth on a wider strop? It would seem that would be exactly as when you hone on a wide hone keeping the scratches (teeth) in the same direction. You should be able to do an X pattern on a wide strop also.
Also I thought that the microscopic scratches were the teeth. Again, if not then why not just hone back and forth or in circles?
If it is important to keep the razor going straight across or in an X pattern then why go against the grain of the scratches when stroping.
I believe the razor edge sinks in to the leather very slightly when stroping and if so it would do that then it would seem it would smooth the edge better if you went with the grain instead of against.
We are talking about a microscopic edge here and all of the barber manuals I have read do speak of keeping the scratches or teeth aligned the same way.
I don't know about any of this for sure, just what I have read here and was hoping someone would know the answer.
I was hoping Lynn or one of the Honemeisters would be able to answer this. I guess I am just OCD but I want to know the why for this to understand it. I'm sure there must be others who have wondered about this also.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Strops, especially, don't impart directional striations.

True. But it's possible that the directional striations are enhanced by stropping in certain directions.