Thread: Stropping after honing!!

Haven't ever quite noticed a distinct difference, but logic forces me to believe that you'd need a bit more stropping to get a good edge. I mean, when you shave, you're effectively bending the cutting 'teeth' i.e. 'dulling' the edge to much lesser degree than when you hone it. It's kind of the same idea (although not quite since honing is abrasive and shaving is actually the blade going through the hair), I would guess that honing requires a bit more work to realign the teeth on the edge. And the fabric component being more crude than leather, I'd say it's a good preparation of the edge before going to leather a coarser stropping 'grit', if you wil.

I hope I made sense, since I had a bit of trouble finding the right terms. Bottom line: honing has a more severe effect on the edge than shaving, and this is to be compensated for by more extensive stropping.

I do worsed wool/leather around 65/75. Which I feel might already be more than required, I'm still on my honeymoon with my new Scrupleworks strop, it just needs that bit of extra attention, as do I. Though with a right technique, there's no such thing as 'overstropping', so stroke away to your heart's delight is what I say.



PS: I'm under thirty, having kids makes me shudder right down to my...well, you know. And with just me and the missus around the house, it's boring just the right amount of time to recuperate. But then again, we are mildly mental.

Originally Posted by Pithor

PS: I'm under thirty, having kids makes me shudder right down to my...well, you know. And with just me and the missus around the house, it's boring just the right amount of time to recuperate. But then again, we are mildly mental.

Just stay away from Carl the marmoset rancher and maybe you guys will get better.

I've only ever done my normal stropping routine after honing. This is all good food for thought. Will get out the loupe and have a look at the goings-on. I especially like Glen's comment about the linen side revealing weak edges.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Been thinking of adoption lately to keep things interesting (I'm still into creating progeny, but the wife isn't). Either that or breeding marmosets or something...

Anyway, yet again Carl is WAYYYYYY off topic...

Yes, and my initial read about you creating marmoset progeny was especially disturbing. I'm like "Carl! Get a ROOM! With nice thick padding!" :-)

So, back ON topic, yesterday I honed the Klas Törnblom and the Wade and Butcher. I decided to once again try shaving with the Törnblom without stropping at all after the hones. I had used the Norton 4/8 and the Shapton 16k. I didn't really stick to an exact pyramid or anything. It was a bit rough; I only did about 1/2 of one side of my face and then needed to stop and strop. After my normal 30/70 I resumed and it was much better. I guess you all KNEW this would be the case. However, as I said before, i have shaved with one of my razors straight off the hones, and I'm not the only one to have done that. i think it's a good test for how smooth the edge is. What this has proved to me is that I need to re-hone the razors, maybe just on the 8 and 16. I think if one can shave (smoothly) straight off the hones it demonstrates a good job. However, i realise it's not prefered......(I'm rambling now, aren't I?).....

[......(I'm rambling now, aren't I?).....[/QUOTE]

Yeah really do we have to heat about he adoption again and how your dog die and your pick-up not running good.........
Kidding aside, i feel better getting a good stropping after i hit the hones i really think that stropping is the thing...........
since my stropping improved and tried different things the edge retention is quite impressive.

Originally Posted by Martin103

[......(I'm rambling now, aren't I?).....

Yeah really do we have to heat about he adoption again and how your dog die and your pick-up not running good.........
Kidding aside, i feel better getting a good stropping after i hit the hones i really think that stropping is the thing...........
since my stropping improved and tried different things the edge retention is quite impressive.[/QUOTE]

Well, now you mention it, the dog is in fact a little unwell and the brakes on my wife's car gave up the ghost last night and she had to leave it at my daughter's place and borrow my son's car...

I should also say the Klas Törnblom did 30 or so laps on the Shapton 16k this arvo and was stropped 30/50. I've decided to use only this razor until I get the edge just right....

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

...I've decided to use only this razor until I get the edge just right....

This is the angle I took in the beginnings and it works well, very well. Don't stop until it shaves like a dream...you will learn a lot along the way.

Carl--

I like your methodical approach and focused curiosity, and your trust-but-verify approach to conventional wisdom. All silliness aside, I really appreciate how your posts contribute to my own understanding and ponderings of the lost arts we practice here.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

This is the angle I took in the beginnings and it works well, very well. Don't stop until it shaves like a dream...you will learn a lot along the way.

Thanks for the advice. I do realise the Swedish steel is possibly more difficult to hone that other steel. The shave this morning wasn't too bad, but not perfect. I think maybe another 20 to 30 laps on the Shapton 16k will do the trick...

I don't want to take this one back to 4k, but I may do so on one of the others once this one is OK, I actually don't think it needs to go back that far...I did do 30/70 after honing and another 30/70 before shaving, which is what I generally do after honing...

Originally Posted by roughkype

Carl--

I like your methodical approach and focused curiosity, and your trust-but-verify approach to conventional wisdom. All silliness aside, I really appreciate how your posts contribute to my own understanding and ponderings of the lost arts we practice here.

Oh, thanks for that, it's much appreciated. I know some of my posts are full of levity to the extreme, but there's no reason we can't have some fun too !!! :-)