Thread: Big Razor Sizes

Originally Posted by Siguy

I note this as particularly interesting. There is so much interesting information being posted to this thread, but this, in particular, strikes me.

Stropping. No doubt inexperience plays here for me, but I've found that I need to take breaks stropping with my 6/8 on a 3 inch strop periodically because of hand cramps and when my grip begins to tire a bit, the small tang gets awkward. Anybody else have the same experience?

That used to happen to me with just one particular razor until I tightened up the scales. It is a nice Robert Williams with an allen head adjustment. When the scales were loose and flopping around, it fatigued my hand. Also, I adjusted my grip...I used to hold the flat of the tang between my first finger and thumb, now I hold opposing corners of the tang. This makes it easier to flip and utilizes less wrist movement.

Originally Posted by Siguy

I note this as particularly interesting. There is so much interesting information being posted to this thread, but this, in particular, strikes me.

Stropping. No doubt inexperience plays here for me, but I've found that I need to take breaks stropping with my 6/8 on a 3 inch strop periodically because of hand cramps and when my grip begins to tire a bit, the small tang gets awkward. Anybody else have the same experience?

I think plenty of us have had various forms of fatigue when starting stropping. I suspect it's simply because you're asking your arm/wrist/hand to suddenly to dozens and dozens of repetitions of an action they have never done before, and with a fairly high degree of precision and control. That takes a toll on the body.

I suspect when I was starting - and I had much the same problem as you're encountering - that I was gripping the razor way too tightly when stropping. Next time you strop, try to take note of how firm your grip is, and whether a lighter grip might still work.

Also, try to flip the razor using just (or mostly) your fingers rather than turning your whole hand over. Last year we had a thread dedicated to stropping. There is a ton of info, plenty of videos, etc. It was actually after making a video of my own stropping action that I realized just how much I was turning with my wrist rather than my fingers. It's well worth checking out:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...st-2012-a.html

And finally, don't get discouraged. It will get easier and the cramps/fatigue will probably dissipate as your body gets used to the action.

EDIT: regarding the light grip - don't go *too* light!! I did that once too and ended up with the razor flying through the air, a finger cut to the bone, and copious thanks that the thing landed on the bathmat and not the tile floor. That could have been the end of that razor if it had landed differently. So you always need to control it when stropping, but you don't need to strangle it.

For me, I find the minimum size that I feel comfortable with is 5/8 with my minimum preference being 6/8 and my shaving preference is with my 8/8,but that could just be an ego thing . I get just as good a shave regardless of size and stropping is just as easy with my 5/8 as my 8/8.


Mick