Is there any correlation? Is Russian finish more aggressive than say, regular cowhide? Is cowhide more aggressive than shell. Does the material the strop is made of affect the number of laps needed to finish?
Is there any correlation? Is Russian finish more aggressive than say, regular cowhide? Is cowhide more aggressive than shell. Does the material the strop is made of affect the number of laps needed to finish?
No.
The tactile feel of a strop, heavy draw/light draw is a cosmetic characteristic. It does not affect the capabilities of the strop.
A super fast light strop can be more effective than a heavy draw strop given the same number of strokes.
A super fast light strop can be more effective than a heavy draw strop given the same number of strokes.
Paul, this seems to imply that there is a difference. My above remark may run contrary to the predominant consensus; but if what you say is true, then there are two alternatives with heavy-draw strops, one to increase the lap count and the other to use a bit more guiding pressure to reduce the lap count. By guiding or increased pressure, I mean only enough to be in control of the blade's motion during the pass.
Friction between blade and leather creates heat. Heat is required to more easily and effectively straighten the edge during stropping. Pressure is not your friend wrt stropping, but rather heat.
Try heating up your razor blade with hair dryer before stropping next time while keeping the pressure light...
You can thank me later
Sorry for the late reply Alan - was away on the yearly camping trip
Yes a little warmth will aid in stropping but I would certainly NOT recommend putting a hair dryer to your strop.
A couple of rubs with the palm will warm things up enough.
I remember the shots from one of those trips! Hope you had a nice time and that the mosquitoes were kept at bay!
And thanks for the other links. To restate what I wrote earlier, my take is that with certain strops that have an increased draw leading to increased resistance with regard to a lateral motion during the pass, a bit more pressure (this being relative) is needed to achieve genuine control. Consequently, the lap count diminishes with increased friction or "heat" as thereby introduced.
I said heat the blade, not the strop!
Reading apparently is not one of your strengths @stone and strop
Here is an advertisement in an old Journeyman barber publication for RW Sunasack strops with a short instruction for use.
"Lay your razor flat, strop slow and heavy. This will give you a velvet edge."
The Journeyman Barber
Not sure anyone actually strops slow but I thought it was interesting. The Sunasack strop I have does have a heavy draw.
I can't read anything from your link. It shows the book but it doesn't show anything for content.
Am I missing something?