Thread: When to strop?

Obviously you must strop before each shave - that is a given. I understand that you strop to realign the edge of the blade before actually shaving. As that is the case, I have heard some suggest that they strop both before shaving, and after shaving.

What is the purpose in doing this? Is it recommended to strop both before and after, or is there no gain in doing it more than the one time before shaving?

I don't know if this is purely a preference thing, or if there is actually a difference in performance between the two.

What do you guys recommend, and why?

When I first started researching the whole thing, I to read that you should strop after the shave. If I remember correctly, the article said ten laps before and then ten laps after, though it never mentioned the canvas side. When I later got my stuff from Tony, he said to take the razor for twenty laps before the shave. I just figured that the other article was splitting up the laps into before and after sessions. Either way you are getting the same number of strops I guess. Though again, the article never mentioned the canvas side. I have been stropping before and after, but this is mostly just for practice.

Stropping afterward is usually done to help remove any remaining moisture from the edge.

It's not unusual to strop mid shave too. I tend to do this after covering my neck and cheeks, before my top lip and chin. Just habit really though it has never really be needed. I also strop before and after, but after just to dry the edge (linen then finish strop)

PuFF

I find a newly honed razor is usually the only one which I might need to strop during the shave. I have a light beard though so I'm sure others will experience more obstacles there.

I do 10-15 laps on the linen and 50-60 laps on the leather before the shave and 10-15 on the leather only after.

X

If you do a search on the stropping section you'll find a series of posts entitled the grand experiment. I did it a while back and experimented with different stropping scenarios. Its interesting reading.

For me whether you strop before only or before and after is a personal thing. It makes no difference as far as the shave goes. Some do it to ensure the razor is dry before storage.

I don't think you should have to strop mid-shave. To me thats the mark of a dull razor or ones thats marginally sharp and its failing mid shave or its a pakistani.

If you need to strop between passes, your razor isn't sharp enough to begin with; no matter how tough your beard is...what makes some think the blade shaves better with mid shave strops is actually their face is reacting to the additional exposure to the moisture and lather...more deliberate and longer preshave preparation will reult in a more sucessful experience...

So I've been shaving with a dull razor all these years
Stropping mid shave because the razor needs it is a sure sign you started with a dull razor this is true. A few trips over a strop mid shave seems to lesten the dulling of the edge and as stated previous, because it's a habit from earlier days.
I still believe that it lestens the need for honing so often as well, though this is a contentious issue bashed out in previous posts.
Any way, it does no harm and slows the possible rush while shaving. Making it a more relaxed affair There areb far worse habit you can cultivate I'm sure

PuFF

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

S ... A few trips over a strop mid shave seems to lesten the dulling of the edge ...
I still believe that it lestens the need for honing so often ...
There areb far worse habit you can cultivate I'm sure

Like grammar correction.
Listen to my 'Lessen' Lesson: 'lesten' ain't a word.
Ain't, however, is a word and 'areb' is, I believe a typo.
Either that or it's someone from the Middle East.

X

Thank you for the grammar lesson Xman, pointing it out only adds to my phobias

PuFF