Difference between revisions of "Razor Strops"

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[[Image:Tony Miller Heirloom Traditional Artisan Strops.jpg|thumb|right|Tony Miller Heirloom "Traditional" Artisan hanging strop]]  
 
[[Image:Tony Miller Heirloom Traditional Artisan Strops.jpg|thumb|right|Tony Miller Heirloom "Traditional" Artisan hanging strop]]  
  
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A razor strop is flexible strip of leather or canvas used to sharpen a thin blade such as a straight razor. [[Finishing Pastes|Fine powdered jeweler's rouge or other pastes]] can be [[Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial|added to the leather]] as an abrasive to polish the blade.
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A razor strop is flexible strip of leather or canvas used to maintain a shaving edge on a thin blade such as a straight razor. [[Finishing Pastes|Fine powdered jeweler's rouge or other pastes]] can be [[Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial|added]] as an abrasive to polish the blade.  
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Unlike [[Beginner's Guide to Honing|honing]] a blade, in which a whetstone removes metal bent out of alignment from the blade's edge, stropping the blade re-aligns the indentations without removing any material.  
 
  
 
The strop may be a hanging strip or a hand-held paddle.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_strop</ref>
 
The strop may be a hanging strip or a hand-held paddle.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_strop</ref>
  
 
==What is the strop used for?==
 
==What is the strop used for?==
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Stropping does not remove any metal from the razor.  With use, the extremely fine edge of any razor will become microscopically bent from cutting the coarse beard.  Today we have disposable razors that we simply throw away when the edge becomes dull.  With a straight razor the edge must be straightened, re-aligned and/or redefined after use.  Stropping is one the most important steps in keeping your razor shaving sharp.<ref>http://www.premiumknives.com/Old_Pages_Not_in_Use/Premium_Knives_help-Straight_Razor_Care.htm#What%20is%20the%20Strop%20used%20for?</ref> So, a strop serves three main purposes:
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Stropping is one the most important steps in keeping your razor shaving sharp
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# removing oxidation on the edge of the razor
 
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# drawing out the metal, thus restoring sharpness
 
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# aligning the edge, thus providing smoothness
 
  
 
==What is the linen/cotton side of the strop used for?==
 
==What is the linen/cotton side of the strop used for?==
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Some strops have linen or cotton backings.  These backing are used to heat the razor via friction to make the razor's edge more malleable and easier to strop.  The same technique used to strop a razor should be used on the linen or cotton side of the strop just prior to stropping.  If your strop does not have a canvas or linen backing you can accomplished this by running hot water over the razor blade prior to stropping.<ref>http://www.premiumknives.com/Old_Pages_Not_in_Use/Premium_Knives_help-Straight_Razor_Care.htm#What%20is%20the%20Linen/Cotton%20side%20of%20the%20Strop%20used%20for?</ref>
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Some strops have linen or cotton backings.  There is not a general consensus even among experts why these materials work, but many users find them to be very beneficial in their stropping routines.
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Rouge or paste should '''never''' be applied to the cotton or linen side of the strop.<ref>http://www.premiumknives.com/Old_Pages_Not_in_Use/Premium_Knives_help-Straight_Razor_Care.htm#What%20is%20the%20Linen/Cotton%20side%20of%20the%20Strop%20used%20for?</ref>
 
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== Using a strop ==
 
== Using a strop ==

Revision as of 18:26, 15 June 2010

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Tony Miller Heirloom "Traditional" Artisan hanging strop

A razor strop is flexible strip of leather or canvas used to maintain a shaving edge on a thin blade such as a straight razor. Fine powdered jeweler's rouge or other pastes can be added as an abrasive to polish the blade.

The strop may be a hanging strip or a hand-held paddle.[1]

What is the strop used for?

Stropping is one the most important steps in keeping your razor shaving sharp

What is the linen/cotton side of the strop used for?

Some strops have linen or cotton backings. There is not a general consensus even among experts why these materials work, but many users find them to be very beneficial in their stropping routines.

Using a strop

Please refer to the article Razor stropping in the stropping category.

Treating and repairing strops

Please refer to the article strop treatment and repair.

Further Reading

References

  1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_strop
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