Paper as a strop

[stinkydiver]

Hello!
Glad to be a part of the fourms!

I was wondering if anyone has used 1,2,3 or more sheets of paper taped to a hard flat surface as a strop? I imagine that it would likely align the edge while avoiding the microscopic “roll over effect” that you are always trying to avoid with a softer, thicker material like leather. I’m thinking of trying it myself.


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[Luecke2326]

Hello @stinkydriver , No I cannot say I have, though I have used a newspaper looped around a towel bar at a hotel before. Others have used newspaper to practice with and in a pinch. It has worked just fine for me.

 

[xmacro]

Could use your hand too; IIRC, there's some history using the palm of ones hand as a strop

 

[Slash McCoy]

There really isn't anything that works as good as a proper strop.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Palm stropping does turn the edge up properly (source, certain hones/honing styles leave an edge that should easily cut hair unable to do so, but this is fixed in a second by palm stropping once)... but even if it is capable of improving an edge as much as a hanging strop, how awkward it is would rule it out as a viable option in daily use in my opinion.

I have heard newspaper works, but I've never done a comparison vs a leather strop personally. Also note that most of the theorists on how newspaper works seem to believe the abrasive quality of the ink plays a role. Again, I have no opinion on that as I've never tried, but something to keep in mind.

 

[Slash McCoy]

And that is a very good point. A strop is not meant to be abrasive or to remove any steel through abrasion. That would defeat the whole purpose of a strop.

 

[Atta Aikhjarto]

I would really want to know how much contamination a strop will absorb in form of micro particles from honing or using pastes even if one tries to work clean and uses water and cloth before stropping. Isn't there the myth that strops are getting better over the years?

 

[HowardS]

Hello!
Glad to be a part of the fourms!

I was wondering if anyone has used 1,2,3 or more sheets of paper taped to a hard flat surface as a strop? I imagine that it would likely align the edge while avoiding the microscopic “roll over effect” that you are always trying to avoid with a softer, thicker material like leather. I’m thinking of trying it myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You should try it! Experimenting is good. Are you using any magnification? It will tell you if what you think happened actually happened.

 

[Jnatcat]

Hello @stinkydriver , No I cannot say I have, though I have used a newspaper looped around a towel bar at a hotel before. Others have used newspaper to practice with and in a pinch. It has worked just fine for me.

I have done the same many times and it works very well.

 

[R7photo]

Saw this on utube I think but I made one

Had a piece of balsa laying around, newspapers, with cardboard underneath applied some from chromium oxide
Strop actually has 3 usual sides
Didn’t want to to apply crom ox to strop yet

( testing crom ox first time)

I also testing new 12k Stone, did 12 laps on stone to touch up razor

Did 8 light laps on crom oxide newspaper

Lap 50 English birdi leather

Unfortunately cannot test as just shaved today and I am bbs[emoji41]

I have only shave with a straight 6 times now[emoji2960][emoji3]Thoughts?

 

[R7photo]

Update, just shaved after using new 12 k stone and lap on paper chromium oxide strop , then 50 laps on English birdie leather,, new Thiers Issard razor was not shave ready, now she is butter smooth and sharp
Nice edge on razor
Only my 7th straight razor shave still learning
Shave score 90, as still learning and technique especially going against grain and clean ups[emoji3]
Luckily no cuts this time[emoji3]
Next time I touch up will use stone only then strop leather only to see if differences
Impressed with Naniwa 12 k stone thus far
Only did 12 laps on stone , impressive
Brought razor to truly shave ready