Thread: Lipshaw Revisited

I have been curious about the rubber component of the Lipshaw strops. I just picked up an old thread again and followed up on Neil Miller's post where he gives the patent number and a drawing on the original patented strop.
So here is where this inquiry is now: I asked Tarkus (months ago) to peek at the strop under his microscope. He did and proclaimed that the surface looked sparkly (not sure that was his word). The written description of the patent states that the rubber component can be impregnated with an abrasive such as diamond dust or similar....since the pattern on the rubber is a diamond pattern...it may be possible that the material is in fact, diamond dust...or not, but apparently it is a fine abrasive, natural or manmade.
The patent number is 2,267,555. I could not copy from the document or I would have quoted here saving you the trouble of looking it up.

I looked at one that 10pups had once and it looked similar to Cratex and did appear to have some shiny bits imbedded in it.

I stropped a razor on it and honed the other half on a Norton 4k, the stria was very similar to the 4k. It was very aggressive, don’t recall how many laps I did but it was not many, 10 or so.

It is nice to strop on though.

I'm hoping Sharptonn will comment. Tarkus is keeping a very low profile these days but he would also be a good one to weigh in...because he has about 10 Lipshaws that he has arranged in a circle around a revolving stool (or so I have heard).

Originally Posted by WW243

I'm hoping Sharptonn will comment. Tarkus is keeping a very low profile these days but he would also be a good one to weigh in...because he has about 10 Lipshaws that he has arranged in a circle around a revolving stool (or so I have heard).

Har
While Ive been a bit detached from the forum these days being its the summer and the fact that my buddy the late Mr. Neil Miller no longer darkens the forum doorway also makes me sad and melancholy, I am like "The Shadow" Always around always vigilant. After all "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men"? Especially your heart Bill! Har

Getting back to the Lipshaws while I'm currently running 5 Lipshaws (3 in the basement work area and 2 in my upstairs stropping area) I only run 1 of the best conditioned honing panels on each floor. All the other Lipshaw sides have a variety of leather combinations.
I was blessed to receive from the bay a N.O.S. honing panel I was blown away at the aggressiveness of the new panel from a well used panel for which I was used to. As per our discussion I looked thru my microscope at the new panel and what I saw was definitely a crystalline substrate in the diamond patterned material. I call it material because to this day I'm not sure what the top layer of the panel is. While it has a leather back, it feels like its almost a rubber top especially on a worn panel. I once discussed this crystalline material with Wolfpack (Mike) he thought the crystals were a carborundum material which was used alot in this application.
I use normally on a new honing Lipshaw panel about 20 very light passes before following up with a slew of different leathers. A new panel is very aggressive and very noisy when stropping . On the older worn panels I would go as much as 40 passes.
The honing panels are like gold to me. I wouldn't knew how to live with out them now. To find one that isn't worn to the bone is very special, and very rare indeed.

I agree, Darl. Using a fairly worn one sparingly at home keeps my rotation from needing refreshment for ages and ages.
I also have a newish one. Quite zippy in comparison to a worn one.
HAR!

I agree with Darl and Tom. The black 'Honing Strop' is quite zippy indeed. I have two 'Lips' and both of them have a new or pristine black honing strop. As Darl said per our conversation some time ago I believe the abrasive materiel impregnated in the strop is SiC or a Carborundum type of abrasive. Since my rotation is so large I've never had a reason to use it except to test it out on a Ebay fixer-upper to see how it performs.

I do LOVE the leather strop on both of my Lipshaws and always use it first at the beginning of a progressive stropping routine after honing. Works a treat! The one Lipshaw that I have is unusual and the only one I've seen like it. It is not in a rotating machine set-up but rather a 4-sided stand alone block of wood with the two panels attached to it.

Here are some pics:

Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

I agree with Darl and Tom. The black 'Honing Strop' is quite zippy indeed. I have two 'Lips' and both of them have a new or pristine black honing strop. As Darl said per our conversation some time ago I believe the abrasive materiel impregnated in the strop is SiC or a Carborundum type of abrasive. Since my rotation is so large I've never had a reason to use it except to test it out on a Ebay fixer-upper to see how it performs.

I do LOVE the leather strop on both of my Lipshaws and always use it first at the beginning of a progressive stropping routine after honing. Works a treat! The one Lipshaw that I have is unusual and the only one I've seen like it. It is not in a rotating machine set-up but rather a 4-sided stand alone block of wood with the two panels attached to it.

Here are some pics:

Mike, you are as sick as the rest of us!
The Lip is the stuff! HAR!

Sadly...that is so true Tom!

I have been fascinated by these ever since I first read of them. I hope to get to see one in person some day.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I agree, Darl. Using a fairly worn one sparingly at home keeps my rotation from needing refreshment for ages and ages.
I also have a newish one. Quite zippy in comparison to a worn one.
HAR!

And with that statement is why I live and breath Lipshaw. The fact that you can sustain your razors without going to the hones.
While most people find the practice of honing as Zen-ful and a real treat, I on the other hand find it a Pain In The Azz from start to finish. Hate, hate, hate honing.

And thats the Lipshaw in a nutshell. If there was a slogan for the Lip. it should of been
"Why stand when you can sit, why sit when you can lay down"?

Its cool to see that there has been a real following of the Lip. I know of a few other SRP members are also wise of the ways of the Lipshaw Microtome. Its especially handy if your a progressive stropper such as myself. Too have a variety of different leathers from English bridle to a white Russian type to a shell is irreplaceable for me. I have even been experimenting with other ideas such as felt and linen.
I'm not a fan of my felt experiment.
The felt was a bit too loose in its make up and needs to be alot more dense.
I haven't gotten a handle on the linen strop as of yet. Its the sewing it all together without leaving a thread rise in the stropping path not to mention the inner backing still has me stumped.
Here's a Horween chromexel panel I also made. Since the late great Neil Miller is no long able to make my panels I have to fend for myself now.

Its a pitiful attempt after Ive been so jaded using Neil's panels for so long.