Thread: Forensic Stropology

I have noticed that my strop looks like I have scraped the edges of the strop (leather side) after stropping. If this were a 3 inch strop I would shout cupping and blame it on the strop. But this is a 2 inch strop. I check the blade using TPT before and after stropping and it does not seem like I am negatively affecting the blade. Has anyone had this kind of experience? It sounds like I am racking the blade up on edge but as noted, the sharpness is fine and shaves have been comfortable. Any ideas? Probably important info: I am still pretty new at this.
Thanks

Is it on both sides ???? or just the Hand side ???

Also I better ask,, you are stropping more than one razor on this strop...

Both sides....stropping 2 razors and now that you bring that up one razor is a Red Imp and the other is a Fon and I believe the skid marks appear after the Imp more than the Fon.

I was trying to nail it down for you.. Some razors have a very "Sharp" spine edge that can be quite hard on a strop, othere can have a pronounced shoulder that is hard on the strop..
The good news is that if it on both sides it most likely isn't your stropping.. If the wear was only on the hand side it would be from running the razor off the edge incorrectly.

First thing I would try is a Sanding block with 400 grit sandpaper and Chamfer the edges of the strop a tiny bit just like you do a hone, just to make sure that the edges are not curling up just a bit.. then pay attention to the difference in the two razors on the strop..

Watch the spine move along the strop, make sure it is moving equally and evenly up and down the strop, the edge will do just fine following along

I have an Illinois 361 strop that I've used from day one, albeit day one wasn't that long ago. Early on I managed to enhance it with some very small nicks due to inexperience. These were really small, small enough not to merit any sanding or worry. A while back I received the SRP logo razor. It has, as Glen says, a very "sharp" spine edge and it found every nick on the strop and grabbed them good, to the point of wanting to tear them open. Thanks for the sanding suggestion, I'll give that a try. Before I figured out it was the spine doing it, I thought I had woke up and lost any or all of the stropping technique I had gained!!

I notice the same on my IRS 361, scraping at both edges. Doesn't always happen and doesn't seem to have any negative effect on my razor nor the shave so I don't worry about it. A little strop dressing or lather re-darkens the strop - no problem.

Originally Posted by honedright

I notice the same on my IRS 361, scraping at both edges. Doesn't always happen and doesn't seem to have any negative effect on my razor nor the shave so I don't worry about it. A little strop dressing or lather re-darkens the strop - no problem.

Nah, these are nicks I put in it. First stropping attempts.

I have a really old little Wade & Butcher 2/8 that has sharp edges on the spine from years of honing (it may have started out as a 3/8 for all I know). It does the same thing to my strops and it drives me nuts, but short of some aggressive sanding on the spine I don't think there's much I can do. (And I'm afraid that would mess up the bevel) I might let the razor go over it. We'll see how she behaves on our next outing. We just finished a honing session.

Peace,
Jim