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Can you ignore part of the strop?

I usually strop on 2.5 inch, using a heel leading stroke to touch the entire edge of the blae.

Now I am looking at a wide strop, 3 inches or a bit more. I know that on wide strops people often hold the razor straight sideways. Because you can. You don't need to run it at a forty five degree angle.

But what if I want to continue with my heel leading stroke? Just not touching the outside half inch or so of this wide strop? I prefer heel leading.

Over time, will it deform or harm the strop in some way? Are we required to hold it straight sideways when using a wide strop?

Thanks
 

David

B&B’s Champion Corn Shucker
I wouldn’t sorry about it. Just strop however is comfortable to you.
 
I like narrower strops and a kind of x stroke. I find that if I try my normal x stroke on a three inch strop I tend to roll the strop over because my pressure goes so far to one side of center. In other words I sometimes have issues because the edge of the strop is farther from the centerline and the pivot allows the strop to roll. You may have the same issue. A wider than three inch strop would make this even worse unless the hanging fixture did not pivot. All of this is mute if you're talking about a paddle. You did not specify.
 
I always run the blade at a 90-degree angle to the length of the strop, regardless of the strop's width (which is never more than 2-1/2" for me), using X-strokes or sectional up-and-down strokes. In this case, one can ignore areas of the strops length, but not the strop's width area, except in sectional up-and-down stropping of the toe.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I find holding the razor perpendicular to the strop very awkward. I use a 2 1/4" strop and it works with the angle I hold the razor naturally perfectly.
 
I switch between left and right handed stropping and honing in order to even out any potential strop, stone, or blade wear, and to create more balanced (ambidextrous) muscle memory, as well.
 
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