Thread: I have been watching SRD stropping videos - now I am worried

For what it's worth, I regularly re-watch the videos of Lynn and Gssixgun when I think I may need an "adjustment" to some aspect of my technique. For me it's like re-reading an instruction manual or good book -- I often catch something the second, third or 4th time that I overlooked the first times.

I'd also add that there's nothing "fast" in SR shaving, except the push of the "buy" button on SRD and other shaving vendor sites. Slow and steady is the way to go with almost everything in shaving.

As others have posted WATCH LYNNS AND Ssixguns videos. Remember that TV and The movies are not really demos on how to but just entertainment. Lynns and Ssixguns are Demos on how to do it right. Also stropping a blade is not a race . for me it's take your time and besides I can't count to fast or too high.

No, if I strop that fast, I will cut the strop. I strop relatively slow.

like everyone else has said, your pace will increase with practice, like most aspects of shaving. i notice lots of comments about destroying strops etc, (not necessarily in this thread) like it is a given that as a beginner you will ruin your strop, whilst it seems common it isn't guaranteed, i am still using the same strop i made over a year ago as my first strop, yes it has a few scratches and nicks but it is more than serviceable, in fact i think it has improved with use (or i have just got better at it).
i have only read once i think that stropping speed makes a difference to the quality of the edge, but i don't really think the argument was substantiated.

Speed kills… a strop. If you do one stroke per second, 30 laps will take a full minute. What’s the hurry?

1. Go slow
2. Hold the tang with you thumb on the upper corner of the tang and the jimps. This will allow you to torque the blade on to the strop and prevent you from pressing down on the strop, killing the edge. Just enough torque to keep the edge on the strop.
3. The Spine never leaves the strop. Keep the spine on the strop always.
4. Stop forward motion before flipping, stroke, stop, flip, stroke, stop, flip. Having your thumb on the corner of the tang makes flipping smooth and easy by rolling your thumb in the direction you want to flip and rolls you thumb into position on to the bottom corner as it rolls over to the top.
5. Do not talk to anyone while stropping, guaranteed way to cut your strop.

It is just muscle memory, it will take 1000 perfect laps to begin to acquire memory.