Hand Tools Archive
David Weaver
I think a lot of people who rely on a guide feel comfortable stropping. Never surveyed why people are asking.
That combined with a group of folks who really don't want a buffer and may not want to be seen using a buffer (or saying they are).
My encouragement for the roll of the edge that you did on cast never met success with anyone that I'm aware of. I think people think it sounds nice, and someone (won't say who, it wasn't Wiley) told me that So yamashita does it on chisels that he sets up and sharpens for people.
I think for guide users, the roll sounds intimidating.
The next best thing to it is the tiniest of tiny 34 degree microbevels. That's the angle where most mediocre to good tools stop seeing significant edge damage. For anyone who hates buffers, hates freehand sharpening, etc, that's a decent way to go - replacing the unicorn edge with a tiny microbevel.