Thread: Factor of two

Easy question here. Although I've seen tons of "I strop it 20-30 times" and similar comments, I've not seen it stated as to whether a "strop" is just one direction or there and back. Not a big deal (at all) but getting curious, especially as when I see a couple of hundred mentioned as the number of times. That factor of two is getting to be a bit of a deal at that level of repetitions.

It is my understanding that "there and back" is one stroke. Numbers IMO are just that, numbers. I usually don't even count, I just go until I decide "that's enough".

I count it as a lap as well... Out and back to the hand holding the strop counts as one. I think everyone goes through times where they are looking for the right 'Recipe' and they focus so much on that they forget about 'feel' and eventually you get to a point where 'feel' is all you are looking for.

There was a time when I did 60 laps starting on felt then progressing through 60 laps each of 4 different leather types on strops going from the one with the most draw and ending with the least draw. It was a lot of work and I never could distinguish enough difference to continue the practice... Now, I do 40 on felt, 40 on medium draw then 10 on very light draw and then 10 more with nearly absent pressure on the same very light draw strop between shaves. Once I'm done with a honing series on a razor I do 60/60/40(20/20) using the same progression.

But, I'm quite confident that will change just like everything else related to my straight razor learning!

Shawn
-----

The same goes for honing: one stroke is counted there and back again.

Thanks guys!

1 = there & back, to & fro, up & down etc.

Originally Posted by Brenngun

1 = there & back, to & fro, up & down etc.

Believe it or not, I was going to say almost the exact same thing.

Originally Posted by Brenngun

1 = there & back, to & fro, up & down etc.

You forgot in and out.

Bob

I agree with the others. I count out and back as one strop. So if you say 25 strops. That is 25 on each side of the edge.

OK, this is a classic newb mistake.

When we say "25 strops" we mean you need 25 strops. Line them up along the wall and then do a lap on the first one, move to the next strop and do a lap on it, and so on until you get to the last strop.

It's not hard people!!

James.