Thread: Razor already tugging after about 4 shaves

This also may help you with your stropping. I had a barber friend tell me when stropping, angle the blade with the heel of the spine leading. He said a 30-45 degree angle will be fine. It alleviates rolling the razor onto the edge at the end of the stroke and it also kept me from getting cut marks at the end of the strop. You will find you don't put as much pressure on the blade and the blade stays flatter. I noticed Mastro Livi uses an angle when honing and stropping. I also noticed Lynn also has a slight angle as well. When starting, go slow and watch the razor to see if it is flat throughout the lap. At the end of the lap, slowly roll the blade on it's spine and look to make sure it is flat before the next lap. If you go to fast, there is a tendency to do a rolling takeoff when you end the lap which will round the blade. Remember, practice makes perfect and sharper edges.