what are you technically doing to the edge of the blade when you strop a razor? nt

f

 

you are realigning and smoothing the edge you just messed up by shaving with it

 

And perhaps also removing micro (nano?) rust. That's assuming you are doing it correctly of course! There's a whole lot of things you are doing to the edge, both technically and non-technically, when you strop incorrectly: none of which are good...

James.

 

huh?

I guess I don't know

 

Luckily...anything messed up by incorrect stropping can be fixed with correct stropping.

 

thank you

 

Here's some text nt

Thanks

Someone should link that popular mechanics article on stropping here just for fun. I guess I'll go dig it up

Click the image to see the rest

 

thank you so much, hoglahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dr. Fitness,

If you look at a newly honed, shave-ready razor's edge under a really high-powered microscope, you'd see that the very edge is actually a fin that sticks out of the bevel. This fin is not a solid piece; it looks like flat saw teeth that are right next to each other in a straight line.

However, as you shave, those teeth get bend in different directions and the purpose of stropping is to gently realign those teeth into a semblance of a straight line.

Over time, some of those teeth break off, either because of continuous bending or corrosion, and that's when you need to take it to the hone and establish a new bevel and fin.

 

Fins? Teeth? Rick, we are talking about strops not sharks

Really though I've never seen a fin poking out of a bevel in any high powered photograph - but maybe I don't know what I'm looking for. Would you be so kind as to post a photo and circle the fin? I haven't noticed teeth either, although I do see striation lines

Also, I'm not sure I've noticed before and after shaving pictures that demonstrate misalignments in the edge that stropping corrects

Very fascinating, and I'd love to see it

 

http://http://www.denniskunkel.com/index.php?cPath=10&sort=1a&page=14

Has cool pics of the edge of a DE. It may be similar to that of a st8.

 

I couldn't get the link to work so here is a picture. All credit goes to the source on the picture.

 

Ok, link works now. Sorry for the excess posts.

 

Huh?

 

Nah, they just had to make it SOME color so there was a contrast.

 

We will see

I am looking forward to finding out what a decent strop will do. I have been using a T.I. four sided paddle and getting ok results with 1 micron and the smooth leather side just clean. Well I want to put .25 micron diamond drops on the smooth leather now so I had to get a new strop.
I'm waiting for a Kanayama Cordovan Strop to arrive anytime now, the 50000 model. Also waiting for the diamond drops. I'm hoping with the finer diamonds then a decent strop the resulting edge should be big improvement on a good edge. We will see.

 

You are doing nothing more than straightening the edge. Simple - but critical for obtaining a proper shave.

chris

 

The results are in, I'm shocked that just a rub on some linen and leather could get my razor so good. I was having some trouble with the hanging hair test, but still shaving good. HHT now just pops that hair. Not used the .25 micron diamond paste yet. I thought try just the strop first because I can't put metal back on my razor. Glad I brought this strop Oh Yes I did 10 fast passes on the linen element, then really gave the leather a jolly good warm up with the palm of my hand and did over 15 passes. This razor has had no where near that kind of stropping before (from me). The razor also felt smoother on my face.