Printable View
Hello
I hear many different views about it
Some say it good, some say it isn't
So
What do you think? Should you strop the razor after the shave too?
And also, how do you do it? how do you make sure it isn't wet or still oild with some the lather you used or what ever?
I just strop it regular for about 12 laps to help clean any dirt or moisture from the edge. Everybody has a different aproach to this. You're going to get a ton of different ideas about this. Just warnin' ya.
X
It is just that some places I have read people who claim that stroping after the shave can longer the time between each time you need to hone it
What do you think of it ?
And, is it the fact that the blade is a little "wet" can't do wrong to the strop?
I strop after a shave simply to clean the edge of the blade after drying it on a towel because I can't get the edge completly dry without it. I don't like the idea of getting my strop wet (which is why I don't keep it in the bathroom), so I only use the linin side after shaving, and only do about 10 lengths.
Not sure if this helps,
Steven
I strop 20-30 on linen and 20-30 on leather after I shave. I dry my razor with a towel before stropping and the linen will help dry whatever moisture remains.
In one of the permanent resources isn't there some research done by a member saying 30 before and 30 after keeps the razor away from the hone for longer stretches?
the Grand experimentQuote:
Originally Posted by Bradford Si
http://straightrazorpalace.com/compo...,123/Itemid,3/
Click "download" or "view" to read it
I highly recommend this article
To show just how much contradictory information there is on this, I have read on the German sites and forums not to strop after a shave at all - here's the reason why.
After the shave, the microscpoic edge is effectively bent and twisted from slicing through all our hairs. Stropping straight away has a huge risk of bending them back again, thus over time stressing the metal at the point of the bend, at best, and at worse snapping them off into the hone itself, which needless to say is very bad.
Over 24-48 hours the edge relaxes, and things are more or less aligned again, and you can strop - the main purpose of which is to finely align the edge of the blade so that its all pointing in the right direction.
I am the first to admit I am a total noob at all of this, but to me the above makes perfect sense with my very basic knowledge of metal.
I know smarter men than me might have loads of theories and such but I never strop after I shave only before. I have never heard any reason that makes scence to me to do so.
To me thats like wiping your butt before you crap....:D
Interesting... I fall into the 60-30 camp, despite never having read that downloadable document before.
Before shaving
Strop 30 on linen, 30 on leather (using Tony's #1 Latigo Heirloom)
After shaving
15 on linen, 15 on leather
I do the 'after' just to get as much moisture off as possible. I'm not worried about the leather as after wiping dry with towel then tissue paper, I figure 15 on the linen pretty much removes most of the moisture.
And being obsessive about moisture, I keep my blades locked (I have young children) in a metal cash box outside of the bathroom, and inside the box there are a few of those silicon packets you get for absorbing moisture. Sometimes I think I'm borderline OCD. :o
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunsi
I have read it too :tu
Can some one please give some more info about it ? is it true? should we not strop after shave?
I don't and my edges are just fine. I do give my blades a wipedown with alcohol to dessecate them, thus preventing rust and it works.
I don't even go that far. I dry mine with a towel and put it in the wooden cigar box on the shelf. No rust .:tu
After I shave, I use a towel to dry most of the blade by wraping it round the the back of the spine and drying as close to the edge as i dare. Then I strop maybe just 4 trips to make sure that the moisture is gone from the edge as well as the rest of the blade.
I vary the number of strop I do before a shave, it depends on my patience on that particular day. Sometimes I don't want to risk stropping too much because i'm too tired to concentrate on technique and i may fold over the edge. (Incidentally these are usually the day that you lose the concentration shaving also, and cut yourself!)
I'm usually between 20 - 60 laps before a shave.
Nick
The question is
What gives you a better sharp holding for longer time? and is better against rust from water and so on?
Quote:
Originally Posted by EAD
I really don't think it does anything after a shave.
I have always stropped after my razor is dry following a shave and before I put my razor up. Never have had any negative experience nor any blade dulling as an effect. Personal preference I believe.
Have fun.
Lynn
As with most of the replies above.....
After I shave, I clean the water, etc, off the blade with a towel, and get 'close' to the edge but not touch it (under mangnification you can see some residue and/or skin cells on the edge). I then clean the very edge by stropping it a few times on the canvas side, and then finish 'cleaning/dry' the edge by giving a few strop/passes on the leather side.
I have noticed that after stropping on the leather side a light coating of the strop conditioner from the leather is on the very edge....this works as a nice protective layer/cover until I use the razor again (the razor I use is kept dry with no camellia oil on the blade - I only use the oil for long term storage).
C utz
I can't agree with this, as I've seen plenty of evidence to suggest that stropping between passes gives you a better shave. You know? Lather, strop, shave, lather, strop, shave again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunsi
If it's okay, and even said to give a better shave, when you strop moments after a shave and shave again right after that stropping, why wouldn't it be okay to strop after you're done shaving completely?
I see the general consensus is about 45 passes on both sides, so I'd put a safe bet on that being the optimum. :tu
It just goes to show doesn't it - there is no right or wrong answers. Just FYI, I was only quoting what I had read on German websites, and is by no means my final say on the issue. I am too much of a noob to give my own advice out. I should have maybe stated heres the reason THEY SAY why not to do it.
All I said was that it makes sense to me - but then so does a couple of passes on Linen to wick all the moisture off the cutting edge after shaving. I have yet to formulate my own idea on the best thing to do.:shrug:
Argh.
Si
It is my belief you can't get the cutting edge completely dry unless you strop it after the shave. I strop 15 linen, 15 leather after my shave. I have not had to take my J.A. Henckel 5/8 stainless back to the hone since September of 2006, and I shave with it at least once every week. My carbon steel razors don't last quite as long since I had to touch them up in February. Currently I only have three razors in my rotation/collection. Two are carbon and one is stainless. So far stropping after the shave is working for me, so I will keep on doing it. :tu :nj
X*JHGFUV*ng^ to science :) Try both ways and see what works for you personally. You will not harm your razor with both approaches.
I strop before and after and the amount for each depends on the razor. I also strop between latherings on a double pass. Never had a problem yet and imo it keeps the hone time right down thus saving steel :)
PuFF