Thread: Stropping Question

I know you're supposed to strop your razor before every shave, but can you do it after every shave instead and get the same results? Is it possible to over strop?

Originally Posted by ejaeger

I know you're supposed to strop your razor before every shave, but can you do it after every shave instead and get the same results? Is it possible to over strop?

One good thing about stropping, you can't over strop. However, you can strop incorrectly!

It's vital to be vigilant at the beginning to ensure you learn proper stropping technique. That's making sure the spine stays on the strop, with little of no pressure, and the spine is rolled over correctly for the returning stroke. Lifting the spine from the strop, or other errors, will end up cutting/nicking your strop and/or rolling the edge of your razor. There is nothing more frustrating that having a rolled edge on your blade and then not understanding why your shave isn't up to par.

In terms of stropping? I strop before and after each shave. 20 on the linen, 60 on the leather.

Now, if I have some time, I may strop a few blades up ahead of time, days before I use them, so they're ready to go. But for me, I think once the blades been properly dried, stropping after a shave is very important...but as the saying goes, YMMV.

I agree with phrank - as long as your stropping technique is OK you cannot really overdo it.

I strop before each shave and then again after I'm done - just a habit I've gotten into, though I do think stropping afterwards helps with any post-shave moisture on the edge.

James.

Stropping before the shave and after the preceding shave are essentially identical. I've stropped razors after shaving with them and didn't use them for months until the next shave. I don't strop before the shave and have found that razors stropped properly after the shave will shave just fine months later without re-stropping.

I strop about 100-150 after my shave and another 40-60 before for no reason except I love to strop. I am pretty sure after around 75 for me it doesn't do any more good but like I said I love to strop.

Originally Posted by Steel

I strop about 100-150 after my shave and another 40-60 before for no reason except I love to strop. I am pretty sure after around 75 for me it doesn't do any more good but like I said I love to strop.

Wow, that's a lot of stropping....

Lol. There are a few others here that do it more than me and I am sure once the "fun" wears off I won't be doing it as much. I am still pretty new myself.

Originally Posted by Steel

I strop about 100-150 after my shave and another 40-60 before for no reason except I love to strop. I am pretty sure after around 75 for me it doesn't do any more good but like I said I love to strop.

That is a LOT of stropping. But, hey, as long as you are still getting close shaves then who's to tell you it's too much, right? I do about 10 laps on the linen then about 10 on the leather after a shave. Just to keep the edge in good shape. I like to do the bigger chunk of my stropping before a shave. Personal preference is all it comes down to for me, really...

Sweat. Thanks to all who replied. I enjoy stropping so I'm glad you can't do too much. I'll probably start doing it before and after just for good measure.