Razor Strops
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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. Fine powdered jeweler's rouge or other pastes can be added to the leather as an abrasive to polish the blade.
Unlike 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.[1]
Contents
What is the strop used for?
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.[2] So, a strop serves three main purposes:
- removing oxidation on the edge of the razor
- drawing out the metal, thus restoring sharpness
- aligning the edge, thus providing smoothness
What is the linen/cotton side of the strop used for?
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.[3]
Rouge or paste should never be applied to the cotton or linen side of the strop.[4]
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
- Making a (very) home-made strop
- Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial
- Easily make a pasted balsa strop
- Making a linen strop out of denim
- Finishing Pastes
- Using micro abrasive film
References
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor_strop
- ↑ http://www.premiumknives.com/Old_Pages_Not_in_Use/Premium_Knives_help-Straight_Razor_Care.htm#What%20is%20the%20Strop%20used%20for?
- ↑ 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?
- ↑ 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?
