Thread: An experiment with hard stropping.

Sorry, I gotta treat 'em like a lady!

You gotta have patience and use a lot of long... slow... smooth stokes!

Too much pressure and you can ruin it. Ruining it and starting from scratch, just like a great relationship, and it may never be the same again!


Wait a minute, we were talking about razors right?

I've always found that the amount of pressure on the strop was a function of the strop and the razor in question. Sometimes I use a lot of pressure, sometimes a light touch - it all depends on what you feel through the razor and where the edge is at. I think if you try to concentrate on listening to what the edge is telling you, the appropriate amount of pressure (and laps) will just follow naturally.

James.

I'm wondering if the included angle and the hardness of the metal are also factors, here. Heck, isn't the pressure : area ratio also a factor (longer/wider razors)? How about whether the edge is a taped edge? Or increased with pasted strops?

I got rid of irritation after hard stropping.
There are no skin cuts.
The razor began to shave moustaches against growth of hair.
Did it once - after a honing. After only the easy stropping.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I've always found that the amount of pressure on the strop was a function of the strop and the razor in question. Sometimes I use a lot of pressure, sometimes a light touch - it all depends on what you feel through the razor and where the edge is at. I think if you try to concentrate on listening to what the edge is telling you, the appropriate amount of pressure (and laps) will just follow naturally.

James.

Jimbo, I have no doubt you're on to some feedback inputs that give you info on how to proceed, when you're done, etc. If you're able to unpack or expand on 'listening to what the edge is telling you', it would be quite helpful. When you don't know what to listen for or what tactile sensation you're getting vs what sensation you seek - 'letting the edge/razor tell you...' remains a closed book. Its definitely a nice way to say it, but doesn't shed much light on what to listen for or what sensations tell you to make what changes in technique. This same description is used in honing - with the same result. 'Sounds cool, doesn't convey much to the guy dying to figure it out.

Originally Posted by pinklather

When you don't know what to listen for or what tactile sensation you're getting vs what sensation you seek - 'letting the edge/razor tell you...' remains a closed book. Its definitely a nice way to say it, but doesn't shed much light on what to listen for or what sensations tell you to make what changes in technique. This same description is used in honing - with the same result. 'Sounds cool, doesn't convey much to the guy dying to figure it out.

That's what experimentation and practice is for. Knowing that there *is* something to feel and listen for is in itself a great help. Ultimately we each must teach ourselves.

What can happen to razors with heavy stropping. It is a relative term.
First is a softer Dovo, well rolled. 2nd is a harder Bengall well chipped but less rolled.