Thread: stropping with different razors. problems with razor construction? notably Red Imp

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Good point....

Aha, Dovo XL (good strop), Yes you can use the back.
The back (split side) of the Dovo XL is as good as the 827.
If it is a bit rough take a suede brush to it.

Be very gentle with any strop dressing on the XL strop.
I once used too much neatsfoot oil and it wanted to
cup on me. It took a lot of work with clean paper to
get it right again.

Thanks. I was going to sell it and get a srp modular paddle, as its versatile, and. I could change out the leather pieces if I destroy them....if I keep it, I will sand down the backside as you suggest... Thanks Again

BP

"flip the razor while still in motion"

I would add to this that "still in motion" refers, I think, to the direction of the motion already having been changed. The spine stays on the strop, and as you get near the end of your stroke, the edge rolls above the spine and then re-contacts the strop AFTER the motion has changed direction. It is almost impossible to cut a strop this way.

Originally Posted by Chefbaze

Thanks. I was going to sell it and get a srp modular paddle, as its versatile, and. I could change out the leather pieces if I destroy them....if I keep it, I will sand down the backside as you suggest... Thanks Again

BP

As paddle strops go the modular paddle strop is a very good one.
Their hanging strops are also made in a way that makes replacing
the leather or canvas easy. The replacement leather.... very fair price.
You are on the right track....

Enjoy ...

Newbie. Same question. Weiss razor, small, spike point. My 3" wide strop (shown red) is much wider than the overall length of my blade. The heel is square at the corner and is quite thick all the way down to the edge. Stropping it straight up and down as shown in the diagram, would I be stropping toe heavy? (ie lifting the heel end of the edge off the strop) Should I be keeping that thick squared heel hanging off the edge of the strop while stropping?

Unlike honing, where at some point you'd like strokes to hit the entire edge to keep it even, there's no such necessity with stropping. You can work on the heel area separately to the toe area. I often do this on my narrower strops - the strop does not have to hit the entire edge in each stroke.

So besides Alan's advice on angling the blade in the horizontal plane, I'd also suggest angling it in the vertical plane for the heel (ie lift the tip so the strop just hits the heel end), and moving the blade toward you (no angling) so it only hits the toe end. Do each half of the razor separately and see how that goes.

James.

Since the strop is flexible there is not a lot of worry in any case.

I find that I habitually line up the heal edge of the blade
with the edge of the strop and start with slow
linear stropping strokes. After ten or so I move to a
more X like stroke so I do not miss the toe. With a classic
2" strop this would be a non question....

Keep the weight of the razor light on a tight enough strop
and all will be well.

Smooth and even strokes are key. Watch Lynn's video
where he grabs his strop after honing. This video... at about 2:45
Straight Razor Place '09 Convention. Lynn Honing #3
Straight Razor Place '09 Convention. Lynn Honing #3 - YouTube

Lynn has a host of videos worth a look...