Thread: To Strop or not to Strop..that is the question

Here is the reason.

Each shave causes small deformations in the edge. Looking down the length of the edge, the perfect "V" shape has tiny regions that fold over into many small "J" deflections toward both sides of the blade. With each shave those deflections get worse and over time will break off causing microchips.

Stropping bends those deflections back toward alignment with the edge and stropping before each shave minimizes the cumulative deterioration of the edge.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Here is the reason.

Each shave causes small deformations in the edge. Looking down the length of the edge, the perfect "V" shape has tiny regions that fold over into many small "J" deflections toward both sides of the blade. With each shave those deflections get worse and over time will break off causing microchips.

Stropping bends those deflections back toward alignment with the edge and stropping before each shave minimizes the cumulative deterioration of the edge.

Does the deformation show as a bright spot/area on the edge, under light? I see it on one of my blades that is curved, on the toe and heel area, and I'm not sure if it is because my stopping is not covering those areas well and they're getting worse, or my honing technique is lacking.

Yes, any part of the edge that can reflect light when looking down on the edge is not sharp. It has either been deformed or incompletely honed.

If you are new to honing smiling blades that is a common problem the you can fix with more practice of the rolling x stroke. Make sure you are pushing water across the hone at the very beginning and ends if your strokes.

I strop before and after.

Before: about 50 - 75 laps each on linen and leather (depending on the razor) to prep the edge for shaving.
After: about 25 -35 laps each on linen and leather to clean and dry the edge fully after shaving.

Given my OCD about keeping of my razors bone dry and oiled between uses, I think I'd lose sleep at night if I missed the after-strop.

Originally Posted by Augustagj

I have not been using the Strop every day. My shaving results seem fine. What is a good rule of thumb on how often I should Strop my blade?

Every day. That's what everyone else does as far as i know.

Well, at least every day that you shave.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Well, at least every day that you shave.

Good clarification ron

Wouldn't want some obsessive sort being confused, would we?

Originally Posted by Utopian

Wouldn't want some obsessive sort being confused, would we?

Conversely stropping well every day regardless of whether you had shaved wouldn't do any harm really

Originally Posted by Utopian

Yes, any part of the edge that can reflect light when looking down on the edge is not sharp. It has either been deformed or incompletely honed.

If you are new to honing smiling blades that is a common problem the you can fix with more practice of the rolling x stroke. Make sure you are pushing water across the hone at the very beginning and ends if your strokes.

Sorry, meant to say I wasn't sure if I wasn't covering the area in my stropping, or if there was a problem in my stropping technique (not honing, as I haven't tried honing this blade yet).

Would I need to use the rolling x stroke for stropping this type of blade? I'll have to research into that technique, as this blade is getting harder to shave with.