Thread: Cutting Edge Getting Smaller

Originally Posted by 32t

Rolling the edge then breaking it off?

But then it wouldn't be usable.

Very true. Rolling the microscopic edge would cause the razor to become dull. Hmm..... If the edge of the razor is getting smaller then the blade is getting worn away thus "dulling".

I might be missing something here.

We are missing something here.
I believe the answer lays within the linen. 30 strokes before each shave are a lot. Now, normally it wouldn't result in removing metal, but I read this review: Review: Illinois #127 Strop | TheShaveDen , in which the reviewer praises the linen for refreshing his blade.
This makes me believe the linen on this strop is a little adhesive. Check and see if the linen darkened a little. If it did - you found your "problem"...
Also, some pictures of the strop will help :]

Once you have found how to make your bevel smaller please post your findings here. I have seen some large bevels that could benefit.

Even plain leather will remove steel, although an extremely small amount. Would take a lot of stropping.

Ron already addressed the linen, it must be a loaded linen, with some kind of paste , his lap counts on the linen would not wear away the edge like a pasted one. But in my opinion, unless he has measured his bevel and recorded his findings, how do we know it really is getting smaller? If it's still shaving well, could it be just an illusion. But if it ain't a loaded strop, he ain't been shaving long enough to wear a bevel down from"proper stropping". Tc

The linen on new Illinois strops does need some time to break in but I doubt 30 laps would make a very noticeable difference in a relatively small amount of time. Plus I'm pretty sure the blade wouldn't be shaving properly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Something must be on the linen, I strop 30 linen/50 leather before every use and if I'm removing metal it's at microscopic levels. I've never noticed any bevel changes from stropping

Grant, might you still be around? I know profile activity is dated the same as your last post in this thread, but I hope you are still subscribed to your thread .

Anyway. Another fella is coming by in a week or two for the modest help I can provide. If you are attending college at the IWU main campus (because they have satellite campuses, right??...), you are only about an hour south of me on the NW side of Fort Wayne. You are welcome to join. I can try to put an edge back on your razor, while you are here. Looks like the same as my daily shaver.

Either way, good luck with your shaves!