Quick question about blade angle when stropping...

I've got my Filly (and a TM for later), a few shave ready straights, and all my DE knowhow...but before I go and do something stupid like roll the edge I want to try and gain some better understanding of stropping. I understand the principle behind it just fine. I just want a better understanding of actually doing it. I've watched as many videos as I can stand!

Q: Are both the edge and spine supposed to be in constant contact with the strop? Basically eliminating any sort of angle play and keeping it consistent?

You have it got it right. You want to strop with the both spine and edge having contact with the leather. The spine essentially acts as a guide for the edge - like honing - with the spine leading of course. Just focus on keeping the razor even and use very light pressure. I always found it helpful to concentrate all my attention on the spine - the edge will follow if you have correct technique.

Good luck!

MaritimeFanatic said:

You have it got it right. You want to strop with the both spine and edge having contact with the leather. The spine essentially acts as a guide for the edge - like honing - with the spine leading of course. Just focus on keeping the razor even and use very light pressure. I always found it helpful to concentrate all my attention on the spine - the edge will follow if you have correct technique.

Good luck!

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+1. I'm no expert, but once I learned about the proper pressure, my razor has been ... uh... razor sharp. I thought at first you had to hear it grinding away.

And about pressure...light pressure, no pressure, just the weight of the razor? What's the consensus?

Thanks!

Just the weight of the razor.

And make sure you're flipping it over the spine when you change direction, if you flip over the edge you'll roll it and cut the strop.

Imagine the edge on a microscopic level. Your beard has bent that sharp edge, pushing it over to the left and right and making burrs. What the leather is doing is catching those burrs and dragging them out straight again. It is not like honing where metal is being removed. Things are just being aligned.

No pressure. If you press down you will just roll that edge back and forth.

+1 on all the above.

Go slow and steady, speed will come later, but for now get ready to nick your strop

mdunn said:

Go slow and steady, speed will come later, but for now get ready to nick your strop

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That's exactly what I'm doing! No speed involved yet, just slow and even. And that's why I went with a beginners strop first...I'm hoping I don't completely destroy it.

mdunn said:

+1 on all the above.

Go slow and steady, speed will come later, but for now get ready to nick your strop

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I use a Shavette, but I plan on buying a straight in the near futute. When using the strop you are supposed to lead with the spine, correct? If that is right then how will you knick the strop?

IMO, there is a correlation between pressure on the strop, and the taughtness of the strop.We're looking for burnishing action on the edge, so the tighter the strop is held, the more pressure to burnish the edge.
I prefer a bit lighter on both... Hold the strop snugly, with light pressure on the blade.
I think each person needs to arrive at their own technique and action they're comfortable with.

lcpl_dunno said:

I use a Shavette, but I plan on buying a straight in the near futute. When using the strop you are supposed to lead with the spine, correct? If that is right then how will you knick the strop?

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You nick the strop by being less than careful.

I nicked my filly the FIRST time I touched a razor to it. I moved the razor backwards for some reason. Haven't nicked it since.

Phil

You nick the stop basically because of backwards action on the edge. If you strop in one direction, then stop the blade before flipping it on its spine, you are likely to get the edge to dig into the leather surface depending on the amount of pressure on the blade. Worse, if you start the backwards motion with the edge still in contact, you'll get nicks. This is more likely to happen if you try to go too fast, without getting the basic motion down right. The ideal is to lift the edge off the strop before the blade stops moving, and flip the razor on its spine.