backhand strop stroke

[loueedacat]

I've been using a Tony Miller four sided strop. Lately when I strop on the leather, particularly when it's already pretty sharp from the pasted sides, I almost feel like the edge doesn't want to stay flat to the leather as I lead with the spine. This happens particularly on my "backhand stroke" - ie coming back to the body in the second half of a pass.

I seem to able to calm it down, either by paying more attention or doing a few backhand strokes in a row.

I've rubbed the strop down with my palm and fingers so I don't think there are any "bumps" of dust involved. Is there any chance I have created a curve in the blade by pushing harder on the first half of the strop stroke than the second half, which is making the backhand strop strokes awkward? Or is the blade just telling me it's sharp already so stop stropping? My shaves have been better than ever, so I don't think whatever I may have done has hurt performance. Or is it more likely that I'm just having a bad week with my stropping technique.

[kestrel]

loudeecat

This sounds familiar. Do you mean that you find yourself stropping the spine rather than the edge? It hasn't happened to me in a while, but when it did I always read it as a signal to slow down a bit. Sounds like you're on the right track.

Best Regards

Graham

[Tony Miller]

The "plain" side of these 4 side paddles have quite a bit of draw since th leather has been buffed to increase friction. Most of us tend to have less control (coordination) when stropping back towards ourselves so it is easy to rotate the razor up onto the spine, lifting the edge as you pull. I typically have my thumb on the top of the shank, my forefinger on the underside and use a little twisting motion to force the edge downwards and almost lift the spine.....almost.
Try to visualize rotating the edge downward as you pull towards yourself.

Tony

[loueedacat]

Thanks guys. The way you are characterizing it does sound right, and yeah I am essentially stropping the spine. I feel better I'm not the only one that's ever done that.

I actually tried stropping left handed, which meant the side that was my "into the body leg" became my "away from the body" leg, and I still had the problem with the return leg, so that suggests to me that you guys are right on [it's technique and not warping] and I need to visualize rotating the edge down (ever so softly).