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Questioning current stropping technique

Hey all,

Everywhere i read, it says when you strop that you should do it in the "X" fashion and that is what i have been doing. Now when i shave i use every centimeter of my edge to shave because of the angles and places i need to do. But if you do the "X" stropping the ends of the blade miss out on a lot of stropping. The middle is fine, it gets most of the attention, but the ends do not.

Now I mix the "X" method with straight up and down stropping to make sure i get both ends of the blade on both sides. I will do the "X" couple of time then up and down a few times on both ends.

Does anyone see a problem in doing it this way?
 
How wide is your strop?

The main reason why people say to use the x-stroke is to be able to get the entire edge stropped on a strop that is not as wide as the blade. If you have a 3" strop, there is no need to do an x stroke at all.
 
With proper stropping x-strokes, there should be no need for anything else. I do 20 passes on linen, followed by 40 on leather. If the razor just touched a stone, I use 60 linen, and 60 leather.

If it works for you, it works for you. In the end it's all about results.

Out of curiosity, what strop are you using?
 
I would say that even if you have a 3" strop, it's still wise to do an X-pattern. The extra width of the strop sometimes makes it bend or twist in ways that make the leather not contact the full length of the razor at all times.
 

Legion

Staff member
There is no reason why an X pattern should not strop the ends of the blade sufficiently. Unless the strop is not flat, or a similar problem. I always use an X. :bored:
 
My strop is a Illinois Razor Strop Co. 827 Imperial Russia Leather. The dimensions are 2.5" x 23" (6.5 x 58 cm).

I get great results from mixing it up. I just want to make sure every little part gets equal amout of strop.
 
Barbers used X strokes and they used razors professionally on a daily basis and I don't think they had issues with the blade doing it that way.
 
From everything I've read, stropping is not supposed to be at 90 degrees to the edge. So even if you have a 3 inch strop you should be leading with the heel 30 degrees off square, if you are stroking straight up and down the length.
The x-stroke, apart from covering narrower strops and to some degree helping with any cupping or bowing in the leather, provides some of the angular wiping action which is supposed to occur.
Intuitively I can see why, but I don't have a scientific explanation.....I'll have to dig up that Playboy article....(jk):lol:
 
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