x-pattern stropping conjecture

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Originally Posted by MikeMN

Now that I think about it, I don't think my conjecture is valid. I should look at a sharp razor under a microscope and see what the serations really look like. In the end, I am just trying to figure why or why not the blade should be stropped using the x-pattern technique.

I am guessing their is a reason. Some have offered the conjecture that the leather is not flat, and the x-pattern mitigates it. That could be. But a side effect is the edge closest to the the monkey tail spends less time getting stropped than the edge further down.

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I've been thinking that maybe there is more to the x-pattern than simply covering the entire blade on narrow strops. I reason that if the stropping can push the micro serrations together front to back to get a sharper edge, it can also curl the micro serrations away from the monkey tail if you do an x-pattern. I've made a gif to illustrate what I mean.
Attachment 68252

Does this make sense?

Apologies for the two images. I am not sure why the blue background attachment is displayed. Is there a way to delete attachments?

I have absolutely no idea.

I tried to think through this one in my head, and it started to hurt.

Technically then, wouldn't these micro teeth also move forward and backward from the friction and contact with facial hair. This is much too scientific for me.

The only argument that I could come up with is that the teeth might be weaker "left to right", as it were, than "up and down". But that is just a flat ot guess

Now that I think about it, I don't think my conjecture is valid. I should look at a sharp razor under a microscope and see what the serations really look like. In the end, I am just trying to figure why or why not the blade should be stropped using the x-pattern technique.

I am guessing their is a reason. Some have offered the conjecture that the leather is not flat, and the x-pattern mitigates it. That could be. But a side effect is the edge closest to the the monkey tail spends less time getting stropped than the edge further down.

I have never seen teeth in a magnified image of a razor. I have seen striations along the bevel, but I have never seen an edge that looked jagged unless it was damaged - am I missing something?

Yeah, post 5.

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Originally Posted by MikeMN

Now that I think about it, I don't think my conjecture is valid. I should look at a sharp razor under a microscope and see what the serations really look like.

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Or you can look at the pictures from the popular mechanics article in early 1930s and the write up by verhoeven in I think the 1990s. They should both be in the document section of the wiki, or at least there should be links.

How about using the X pattern, so the whole edge is touched evenly, or the Race track pattern, or why not just try and go straight back and forth.. Honest yer not that good to do is perfectly that an uneven strop is going to matter much :) unless it is really uneven then that needs fixing...
The X pattern was developed because strops were thinner and still can be so if you get in the habit early then you never have to worry...Just make sure the entire edge is touched by the leather and your fine ...

By the way if yer edge really looked like that at anything under very very high magnification the strop ain't gonna help much :rofl2:

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Originally Posted by gugi

Or you can look at the pictures from the popular mechanics article in early 1930s and the write up by verhoeven in I think the 1990s. They should both be in the document section of the wiki, or at least there should be links.

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I looked and couldn't find what you were referring to. Any more details I can use to search, or do you already have a link? Thanks!

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...g-article.html

Thanks AFDavis11! That was a very interesting article to read. I loved the last sentence: "A barber's razor made fifty years or more ago constantly reminded its owner on this point, for neatly etched on the side of the blad were the words: 'You lather well and I'll shave well.'"

I also thought the following was interesting: "As the photographs of highly magnified razor edges show, the first and most important step is to keep the cutting edge clean and well oiled or greased when not in use."