Thread: Stropping for Sharpness

Originally Posted by Martin103

Very interesting thread, im a firm believer that stropping is key with maintaining an edge and at times improving it slightly. Actually this all started for me during the JA/Norton event, after where i felt i had maxed out of the 4k/8k i was trying to get more of the edge with stropping.
Thats when i first started stropping with the blade at 45 degree or so, and actually felt a little improvement.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...2012-a-48.html My post from the ja/norton # 479.

Ever since that event my stropping is always with some angle on the blade, compared to the more traditional straight up and down stroke. Im somewhat content with my stropping, seems like with time and different techniques my edges are constant and long lived.

Another interesting method was after reading this article http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...le-1904-a.html
Wich talk about stropping with the back or spine slighly lifted of the strop 1/8inch and that method shows edge improvements especially on wedges, seems like a few members tried this method as well with good results, but it cant be difficult to maintain the razor back off the strop as your going up and down.

? why not use tape instead of trying to guess with spine in the air.

It seems like working with a slack strop would accomplish exactly the same thing.

Originally Posted by mdarnton

It seems like working with a slack strop would accomplish exactly the same thing.

The vid of Liam Finnigan stropping shows the slack strop method.

Just now, I tried 2nd attempt w/ same razor & strop - Duck Spec. #1 + 2.75" latigo. This time was table top method instead of hanging. Improvement was quite visible in hanging hair test - equal or better than my best result w/ multiple strops (high-draw, then low draw). This will get more testing.

Originally Posted by pinklather

The vid of Liam Finnigan stropping shows the slack strop method.

Just now, I tried 2nd attempt w/ same razor & strop - Duck Spec. #1 + 2.75" latigo. This time was table top method instead of hanging. Improvement was quite visible in hanging hair test - equal or better than my best result w/ multiple strops (high-draw, then low draw). This will get more testing.

Either way, give it 3 full iterations, maybe 100 passes total before you decide.

I just strop by sound now. The razor sings good when I draw it towards me...then I angle the blade so it makes the same sound stropping away from me. thanks again to Martin 103 .

Iam going in for a shave right now and will try the 45 degree angle with the spine lifted to get it to sing....will post later

Well it gonna take some practice and a few more tries...to get the hang of it. The shave was still smooth...just have to experiment .

Originally Posted by nessmuck

Iam going in for a shave right now and will try the 45 degree angle with the spine lifted to get it to sing....will post later

Can you elaborate on what you mean by getting it to sing with the spine lifted?

Great thread, btw, really digging it. I love your stropping ideas Alan.

Originally Posted by mdarnton

It seems like working with a slack strop would accomplish exactly the same thing.

Actually its not, but i did experiment with a slack strop, not much improvement from that, with a raised spine the sound of the razor is totally different and if you keep that sound going you will find some gain from it.

I find stropping a bit strange, I've used a strop for more than 25 years and still gets better.
Thing is I really don't know why I'm getting better, had no instructions and even if I had it's very hard to see what you do wrong.
Still, the "flow" when stropping is one thing you get used to but I haven't really tried different ways to strop.
Somehow it just works!
Instructions from my father; -Just use it!