What's draw?

**BakerAndBadger** · 07-27-2012, 04:47 PM

My poorman's strop does exactly what it says on the tin - strops. So what is draw? If I wanted an etching I'd have bought a fancy razor, and if I wanted a sketch an artist. Please help, I think I'm missing the point!

**Doc226** · 07-27-2012, 05:44 PM

Draw is how much the leather grabs the razor. I one that is fast, one that is slow and one that is just right.

**otto76** · 07-27-2012, 07:33 PM

About 4:45 in...draw draw draw..all kinds of draw.

**rickboone1** · 07-27-2012, 07:37 PM

rub your hand across silk sheets. it move fast. no "draw"

rub your hand against velvet or concrete. it grabs it a little and doesn't go as fast. that's draw.

then from there you can kind of figure out heavy, medium, etc. horsehide USUALLY has little to no draw.

**gash** · 08-05-2012, 04:23 PM

Strops have draw in one direction, and ward in the other.

**Alum of Potash** · 08-05-2012, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by gash

Strops have draw in one direction, and ward in the other.

Your use of the word, ward, is most interesting. Can you refer me to a dictionary or a technical publication that would define or use it in this context? Being a word freak, I have consulted my small collection of dictionaries and have not found "ward" used in this way. Much the same holds true for "draw," but I have not looked this word up much, as I have a sense of what it means from contextual use here on B&B and elsewhere. Perhaps "draw" and "ward" derive from fencing, or something like that? We speak of "drawing down," as in the gradual removal of the American military presence in Iraq, and we speak of "warding off" disease, vampires, etc. From this I am guessing that "ward" would be an offensive movement away from the body, or towards the far end of the strop, whereas "draw" would be more defensive, or the return from the far end of the strop, towards the body. That said, is there a proper orientation for the strop, meaning that it should not be switched from end to end in a theoretical sense, since there would be a "draw" and a "ward" to the leather itself?

**Greybeard** · 08-05-2012, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Alum of Potash

Your use of the word, ward, is most interesting. Can you refer me to a dictionary or a technical publication that would define or use it in this context? Being a word freak, I have consulted my small collection of dictionaries and have not found "ward" used in this way. Much the same holds true for "draw," but I have not looked this word up much, as I have a sense of what it means from contextual use here on B&B and elsewhere. Perhaps "draw" and "ward" derive from fencing, or something like that? We speak of "drawing down," as in the gradual removal of the American military presence in Iraq, and we speak of "warding off" disease, vampires, etc. From this I am guessing that "ward" would be an offensive movement away from the body, or towards the far end of the strop, whereas "draw" would be more defensive, or the return from the far end of the strop, towards the body. That said, is there a proper orientation for the strop, meaning that it should not be switched from end to end in a theoretical sense, since there would be a "draw" and a "ward" to the leather itself?

You might be overthinking this or you might be pulling our legs.

Spell "draw" backwards or in reverse and you get "ward". Strop in one direction and experience "draw", the reverse ....

**Kentos** · 08-05-2012, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Greybeard

You might be overthinking this or you might be pulling our legs.

Spell "draw" backwards or in reverse and you get "ward". Strop in one direction and experience "draw", the reverse ....

Yeah, with all the wise guys in this forum you never can tell

.

**Seraphim** · 08-06-2012, 04:50 AM

Draw refers to the amount of money that will be extracted from your bank account when you find the need for yet another shiny, supple new strop. "Withdraw" money from the bank to pay for your new toy. All strops come withdraw, especially Kanayamas $$$

And if you don't purchase new strops often enough, you will suffer from Strop Aquisition Disorder withdrawal, which is not a pretty sight.

**Alum of Potash** · 08-06-2012, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Greybeard

You might be overthinking this or you might be pulling our legs.

Spell "draw" backwards or in reverse and you get "ward". Strop in one direction and experience "draw", the reverse ....

Oh well, looks like the joke's on me! Too bad, I was really getting into this!

**raccoonandbrush** · 08-06-2012, 12:21 PM

How I can describe draw is "resistance". If you move a razor across a strop and you feel a very minute resistance, that is draw. I hope I explained it good.

**TheLegalRazor** · 08-06-2012, 07:21 PM

Draw is the resistance you feel as you move the razor over the leather. It is generally characterized as light, medium or heavy. Different types of leather have different draws. Draw is strictly a matter or personal preference and has no bearing on what the strop does to the blade. A strop will work equally well whether it's draw is light, medium or heavy.

**hotreds** · 08-06-2012, 07:48 PM

Wouldn't how hard you're pressing down also affect the draw?

**cb91710** · 08-06-2012, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Alum of Potash

Oh well, looks like the joke's on me! Too bad, I was really getting into this!

Had me going too, but I seriously thought it might be a proper technical term for resistance felt to a "pushing" motion as opposed to resistance felt in a pulling motion.

In other words....

Bazinga

**Kentos** · 08-06-2012, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by hotreds

Wouldn't how hard you're pressing down also affect the draw?

On some leathers it does, on others, like my TM Horsehide or Kanayama, it doesn't seem to affect the draw as much. Of course if you mash it in the draw will increase and your edge will roll.

Oddly enough, on some high draw leathers I have found lessening the tension on the strop decreased draw too.

**davew** · 08-08-2012, 12:28 PM

Draw is something you'll leave behind when you dump all of your cowhide strops for smooth horse butt strips.

And you'll never miss it when you're shaving with a razor for 1 or 2 months between anything else other than leather, instead of 1 to 2 weeks.

**JeffM** · 08-14-2012, 04:21 PM

OK So what exactly is draw again?

Strops that have draw are called drawers? And you have silky drawers and leather drawers?

**kelebekcc** · 08-24-2012, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by Doc226

Draw is how much the leather grabs the razor. I one that is fast, one that is slow and one that is just right.

I know which is your right one :)))

**Doc226** · 08-24-2012, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by kelebekcc

I know which is your right one :)))

But I am not strop exclusive.

**BakerAndBadger** · 08-24-2012, 05:55 AM

Cheers for the comments guys. I got my new old japanese strop a couple of weeks ago but neatfoot seems to have spoilt it - reckon I need to sand it down a little. For info it wasn't a kanawatchamacallit