Thread: Lynn's Tips #5

Hi Guys,

Recently had an inquiry from a member who was hearing a singing as he was stropping and was wondering if this was dulling his razor.

Normally, if you are hearing a singing or high pitched sound when stropping, it means you are turning the razor up at the end of the stroke as well as putting more pressure on the stroke than necessary. This can actually fold the edge causing it to dull.

Remember when stropping that you need a flat, smooth and usually fairly slow or rythmic stroke both ways rolling the razor on the spine. When stropping correctly, you are more likely to hear a muffled scratching sound or a or a low smooth sound. Keep the strop taught as well as a loopy strop can also cause rounding of a razors edge.

Hope this helps.

Lynn

I have heard this singing when I stropped with the handle in the same position as during shaving.

To condense the scientific explanation: the handle is vibrating due to the stropping motion. This is a direct result of the handle being at a 270 degree angle with the blade. Of course this resonance is influence by lots of factors, so it will vary per strop, razor and type of motion. You may not even hear it at all.

With the handle in any other position, the singing is more likely to be explained by what Lynn said, because the handle cannot resonate audibly anymore.

Lynn, just to be sure I understand you (yes, I can be a bit thick at times). You are referring to a metallic vibrating "ring" type sound as opposed to a relatively high pitched "rasping" sound, yes? Thanks

Jordan

Tis a high pitched sound, hence singing........heard mainly when lifting the spine up and only having the edge touching as the stroke ends. Usually with pressure.

Lynn

Doh! I have to get the cd this week. I thought if I couldn't get the blade to sing on each stroke, I wasn't stropping correctly
This morning I saw this thread and finally got my "new" keenkutter sharp enough to shave with.

i was also experiencing the singing while stropping thought i was doing it right untill it wouldnt cut hair i read this post took a dozen licks on the barbers stone and re stropped correctly and shaving sharp i was rolling the edge thank god for this forum and lynns stickys

I hear the singing every time I strop my Revisor and not just at the end, but throughout the entire stroke, both sides. I don't think I'm using too much pressure, since I don't get any singing with my Wapienica using the same technique. If I've rolled the edge, what is the remedy? Does it need to be re-honed?

Hmmm...with a few of my razors, my Robeson Shur-Edge in particular, I get a "schwing! schwing!" sound when I strop. That Robeson is one of the sharpest, smoothest shaving razors I own. I notice that my Puma makes that same sound when it is getting at it's sharpest, as well. I actually try and get my razors to "sing" when I strop.



Scott

I thought for sure some hollows were made and advertised to be singing razors, I have a couple that do and get great shaves. But they sing through the entire stoke, I am also aware that what Lynn says is true about singing at the end of the stroke, most blades are not meant to.

I'm glad that I personally have'nt heard that sound when I've been stropping my straight razor. Thank you for the awesome tip Lynn. Now I'll know the sound of a mistake.