Thread: leading end on a pasted strop?

I have a quick question about the leading end of a razor (point or heel) while using a pasted strop.

I realize the edge of a razor leads when using a hone (stone), and the edge trails when using a strop (whether pasted or not).

Most people who hone (not trying to over-generalize) lead with the heel on a hone, whether or not doing the X pattern.

This would cause the striations to slant forward, as tombuesing wonderfully illustrated in his “May I over-analyze honing?” thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/compo...per/Itemid,33/
in his first example of the “toe-leaning.”

To maintain the toe-leaning striations, wouldn’t you need to hone the razor on the paddle strop with the toe (or point) leading? What I mean is, when I strop on a plain leather strop, I generally draw the razor with the heel leading.

If you did the same heel leading on a pasted strop, wouldn’t this give you the X striation pattern tombuesing mentions in the last part of his post? Especially if it was originally honed on a stone?

Or am I just over thinking this WAAAY too much?

Thanks.

Your question is significant only if you're not using the x-pattern. If you use the x-pattern you don't need heel leading, as you do when you hone straight across a wide hone.

If you use the x-pattern, the scratch lines produced on a strop will cross the scratch lines made by the hone. In other words, the scratch lines do cross, as you noted. Similarly, the scratchlines will cross if you do straight across, heel leading.

The only way to get the same scratch pattern with a hone and strop is to change the stropping motion. For the x-pattern, the blade needs to be moved up, instead of down. For straight across you need to do toe leading.

I use heel leading on all movements. Yes, that does make the scratch patterns cross but the consequence is that the top sharp ridges of the scratches are reduced/burnished off. This makes the shave more comfortable as well as sharp.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

I use heel leading on all movements. Yes, that does make the scratch patterns cross but the consequence is that the top sharp ridges of the scratches are reduced/burnished off. This makes the shave more comfortable as well as sharp.

THe scratch lines always cross if you use the same movement for honing and stropping.

Thanks guys. I didn't think it would do any harm to heel-lead on a pasted strop, but wasn't sure if keeping the pattern consistent would make for a better shave.

It sure will be easier to do the normal stropping motion than having to reverse it.

Now I'm off to order a Tony Miller pasted strop!