X-strokes and stropping

[Seelector]

I've read here that the proper way to strop is to do an X-stroke similar to honing. But I do something different that in my mind should achieve the same result, but I want to get some other opinions.

What I do is start out with the full length of the blade on the strop and do 5-10 straight strokes. Then I "walk" the heel off the strop with each stroke, so that after 10-15 more strokes I'm stropping with the heel an inch or so off the edge and the toe is somewhere around the middle of the strop width. Then I slowly walk the blade back to its original full length starting position and finish with 5-10 straight strokes. For some of the full blade length strokes I might roll the tip up a bit to make sure I'm hitting the heel, depending on the razor.

To me this should achieve the same result as x-strokes, which is to make sure that the full length heel-to-toe is being stropped. I find that I can strop a lot faster this way than doing x-strokes. Does anyone else strop like this? Am I looking at this the right way, or should I just bite the bullet and use x-strokes?

 

[Ravenonrock]

That’s basically how I use my 2 inch linen strop pasted with CroOx. Sometimes I try X strokes, but mostly not, as I’m not doing many laps anyway. The toe isn’t quite hitting the mid point of the strop, but still similar to what you are doing I think. Perhaps a bit more random movement and less calibrated. On 3 inch clean leather I’m just doing regular strokes the full length of the blade along the full width of the strop, no X pattern. I like it this way and it seems to be working out fine on the razors.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Kind of depends on how much smile the blade has. As long as you are hitting the whole edge, I'm not sure it matters how you get there. I have a couple with a notably swept-up toe that I focus on just stropping that section, sort of how you described, although I still do a bit of a diagonal stroke from one end of the strop to the other. But the heel is definitely off the edge of the strop at that point.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Should work. Whatever hits the full length of the blade and you find gives you the least chance of scraping up the strop.

 

[Gamma]

I use x strokes because I have no reason to not use them.
But not everyone uses x strokes; any method of stropping that works is proper.

 

[Seelector]

I've played a bit with x-strokes since I originally posted this. They're definitely slower but they do the trick. But I still prefer my original technique - I feel like it does a better job of making sure the toe gets fully stropped.

 

[TheBeast]

I still have a lot left to figure out with my honing and stroping. But X stroke stroping never smelled nice to me. When stropping a smiling blade I keep the whole edge on the strop. But I focus my pressure (Not much, just to mantain solid contact) from heel through the middle to the toe. Its basically a rolling straight stroke I guess, but the heel never leaves the surface of the strop. Seems to work okay. But I did scratch my strop after not realising one of my toe tips was pointy sharp and it digged into the leather when I rolled the pressure to the toe.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Kind of depends on how much smile the blade has. As long as you are hitting the whole edge, I'm not sure it matters how you get there. I have a couple with a notably swept-up toe that I focus on just stropping that section, sort of how you described, although I still do a bit of a diagonal stroke from one end of the strop to the other. But the heel is definitely off the edge of the strop at that point.

Edges come in different sizes and shapes. As long as every mm of the edge makes contact with the linen/leather you should be good. Took me a while to figure out how to get the heel and toe of the smiling edge on my Rameau 8/8 rattler to make contact. Just play with it. The effort will make a difference.

 

[matt n]

do you all use the same roll that the razor takes on the stone on the strop?
last time i did this I unmuted the toe; red foam...
matt

 

[Seelector]

do you all use the same roll that the razor takes on the stone on the strop?
last time i did this I unmuted the toe; red foam...
matt

I don’t do any roll when stropping. Strops are flexible and will compress a bit under the edge which should eliminate the need for a roll. A razor with a big smile may need some roll though.