Thread: Not Using X Stroke, Diagonal Only

Carl, as always, you're so brave to step forward like this!

The only thing I could think of becoming a problem was if you had a little grit in your strop, your chance of hitting it with the same bit of blade over and over and over is a little greater than if you were doing a true X stroke. Kinda like that lawn I once had, where I wore ruts with the mower wheels because I never varied my mowing pattern. Man, that was such a metaphor for my life at the time. It still haunts me sometimes. That's why I ALWAYS do X strokes, and why I'll never buy a 3" strop and face that risk of back and forth, back and forth, no need or reason to vary. Been there, done that, have the nightmares.

BTW, I knew what you were talking about right away. Just goes to show what soul-brothers we are, man. <fist bump>

Thanks everyone for the replies, esp you Tim.
Ironsidegnr's reply is useful too. I too, started with this stroke, though I did TRY and do a 'proper' X stroke like the obedient little fellow I am.
I find it a much more natural stroke. IF (if) I had an area of the strop that was, well, 'f'd up' so to speak, I guess it may be an issue, but my strop is good. I may be arrested anytime soon, but I'd even go so far as to teach OTHERS to use this method, rather than the X stroke. I think the X stroke causes some over thinking and leads beginners to nick (possibly). However, as previously stated, I don;'t know what I think, and also, as previously stated by another, I'm mad.

Mad Bad Carl

I became aware of this issue a while ago, when it generated a good discussion on a prior thread. I understand what you are doing when you refer to diagonal stropping. With an X stroke, when you reach the top of the strop, you move the razor slightly across the strop before you flip it and bring it back down. It's this slight diagonal movement that let's you make the other side of the X on the way down.

My sense is that in terms of the edge, it doesn't matter whether you use the diagonal or X stroke. Since the last thread on this, I've been alternating the diagonal and X stroke on consecutive shaves and have not noticed any difference. Use whichever stroke you find more comfortable. For newer users, eliminating the lateral movement at the top may reduce the likelihood of nicking the strop.

I got you right away Carl and I think it makes sense. The only issue I see possibly developing , mind it will be over years, is a bad wear pattern that could eventually lead to issues but probably by then all of us but the teenage wiper snappers will be long gone

My dad (born in 1913) used this same motion to strop his pocket knife on a stone similar to a barber hone. He would do the diagonal stroke back and forth with the spine of his knife leading. His pocket knife was always the sharpest around. I have contemplated using this stroke also but have now got the X stroke down but may try it at some point in the future as it is a more natural movement.

Originally Posted by Castel33

I got you right away Carl and I think it makes sense. The only issue I see possibly developing , mind it will be over years, is a bad wear pattern that could eventually lead to issues but probably by then all of us but the teenage wiper snappers will be long gone

flip the leather. R/R the hardware, swapping ends yo.

Hey Carl,
I'm with you on your technique and that's a fine way to go about it. I do much the same but, I do one direction a while and shift to the other, go back and forth heel, center and toe for a while and then some "X" motions. Often times my "X" starts to look more like a figure "8" than an "X" but that's usually when I get in a hurry. The idea is to get the leather rubbing diagonally across the edge to create more friction, I believe.

Regards

Chasmo

It's interesting that this thread has been re-invigorated after so long :-)

Now I have a wider strop (that I reserve for use on Sundays during my bedroom shaving stand shaves), I DO do more of an x stroke on that strop. After doing the 'partial x stroke' for so long, and after recording my honing sessions (which on reflection seem to be few and far between) I guess I'd have to say the partial x stroke is certainly working for me :-)