Thread: Benefits of X-pattern stropping

Gents,

Besides the need to treat the entire edge of a razor on a strop that is less than 3 inches wide are there other benefits of x-pattern stropping that you have observed?

In my experience I find that the x-pattern allows for a better edge to leather contact and that there is a reduced risk of accidental nicks in comparison to the straight back and forth.

What are your thoughts?

You pretty much answered your own answer with "Besides the need to treat the entire edge of a razor...". We shave with the entire edge, so stropping the entire edge on every stroke is quite important, otherwise you will have a very well stropped middle of the blade & the heal/toe of the razor will not be as well stropped.

Yes of course, but my question is of others have experienced other benefits. I for example, still prefer to do an x-motion even on a 3 inch strop.

The key is stropping the entire edge on each stroke, just like honing.

Many of my razors have a truly flat edge, so a normal straight stropping motion contacts the entire edge. On a smiling razor, I have to use a x stroke to get the entire edge on each stroke. Other than that, it's just a preference thing...