Strop video ?

[bloodyface]

Any of you guys who can recommend a vidoe of correct use of the strop.

Preferable a wide strop in the first place.

I noticed a slight bend in the tranverse direction, and it seems it would give an uneven edge contact.

Have somebody noticed the same ?
Is there a solution to the problem, if it is a problem ?

I thought two or three cuts along the strop at the paste side, NOT the whole way through the leather, but 2/3. (for better flexibility)

That might result in old paste gathering in the cracks, wich lead to next question :

Does the paste dry and become hard after some time ?

Give me your opinions, thanks.
The best

Richardt

 

[dreaded_rust]

heres a few good stropping videos. sorry I can't really offer any advice on the other questions

http://vorpalrazors.weebly.com/stropping.html

 

[Doc226]

By a bend do you mean the middle portion is sagging and the razor only makes contact on the edges of the strop? That is what is referred to as cupping, happens more commonly with wider strops. I don't think cutting the back of the strop is a good idea, cant tell you why but I would not do it.

Here is Tony Miller's "fix"

I find that over time Latigo may move slightly. I kind of "wrestle" mine back into shape by a gentle pushing and stretching of the leather. I find mine work best with a slight bit of crown...high center, lower edges. This flattens out under the light pressure of stropping and resists cupping.

With the strop hanging I start at the top, gently squeezing the strop side to side between the fingers and thumb on one hand. I squeeze a slight bow into it (the center higher than the edges) and then draw my hand down the length. Repeat a few times, lay the strop flat on a table and run your hand down in to flatten it slightly.

Bridle on the other hand, at least all the types I have tried, is far more prone to cupping and once cupped does not want to flatten easily. In the end I decided not to use it for my strops, despite the nice draw.

Tony

Here is a very handsome man (I know you can't see him but trust me) stropping on a Kanayama

 

[blackman]

Smooth, very smooth

 

[bloodyface]

heres a few good stropping videos. sorry I can't really offer any advice on the other questions

http://vorpalrazors.weebly.com/stropping.html

Thank you for the link. I will check it at once..

Best regards and respect.

Richardt

 

[bloodyface]

Thanks for the video, Doc.

I am experiencing the opposite than you mention, I have a very very little pressure on the straight, and a thight strop, but i notice in the paterns on the paste, that there is more contact in the middle of the strop, and less contact at the edges of the strop.

I´ll post a picture later...

The best

Richardt

 

[Luc]

I would suggest this link: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Stropping_Techniques There are videos in the See Also section.

 

[bloodyface]

Thanks Luc.

I will look at it right away.

The best

Richardt

 

[Alum of Potash]

Beyond the video question, there are a lot of variables at play as a possible source of the bend you describe. A picture of your strop's problem might help here. Do not cut the strop to relieve the bend; you will only regret it, especially if it only has to do with atmospheric conditions or something like that. Are you putting paste on the flesh side (back side)? Is the smooth leather side (front side) convex or concave? If you are pasting the backside it might be reacting differently, to cause "cupping" (or a concave bowing of the front side). A convex bowing of the pasted side in this way could explain the wearing towards the middle that you describe. Manually working the leather with your hands in the opposite direction will help here, as will rolling a wine bottle over the strop's entire length afterwards.

As for a video, I have never really found a good stropping video that answers all the questions. For me, the most difficult part has had to do with finger placement on the tang ("shank" following the B&B wiki) relative to flipping; and as with many things, there are varying opinions as to what is "best" here. Bart's video (one of Luc's video links above) is very clear and uses what I now style a honing-centric, top-to-bottom "pencil-roll" grip of the tang to flip. I used this for many months with stropping, but more recently have moved to a more diagonal grip (corner to corner, or not really from side to side or from top to bottom) with a slight turn of the wrist, with the first pass coming towards me rather than away from me. As a result of the changed finger placement, I think that my edges have improved. But it's a personal thing. As always, YMMV.

 

[bloodyface]

Hi Alum of Potash.

I think you are on to something there.

I paste the back (Green Puma)

The paste side is highest in the middle of the strop, But I will try the handworking method you described.

Thanks for the advice.

Richardt

 

[Alum of Potash]

Hi Alum of Potash.

I think you are on to something there.

I paste the back (Green Puma)

The paste side is highest in the middle of the strop, But I will try the handworking method you described.

Thanks for the advice.

Richardt

Looks like the backside of one of those wide Solingen strops. Just be sure to avoid getting the green Puma paste on the other side of the strop! As for your earlier question about paste drying out, I don't think you have to worry about it on the strop itself. However the stick may be another matter. I have a stick of the Puma no. 3 extrafein green that I've kept wrapped in foil for over a year and it still seems moist enough. I think warming it up will soften it too as needed.

 

[cb91710]

If the center of the strop is slightly elevated, a proper x-stroke will compensate for that.
So, whether using a narrow or a wide strop. a proper x-stroke is still needed.

 

[kelebekcc]

 

[kelebekcc]

 

[kelebekcc]