Thread: Need advice on stropping.

I pretty much agree with the advice the other gents have given. Stropping on leather is really important for a nice comfortable shave, but using a linen strop is convenient but certainly not essential. It is indeed enough to just dry the razor carefully on a towel before putting it away.

(I'm also of an age that barbers still used straight razors. The ones I went to down here in California used both the linen and leather. So the philosophy I learned from them, and more so my dad was to use the linen whenever the edge still felt slightly dull after stropping on leather. I'm in the "strop about a dozen times on leather" camp.)

I believe that the Dovo yellow paste is used to soften and condition the leather strop. If so, use it very sparingly and only occasionally, when the strop's surface looks and feels a little dry. You might check out Dovo's web site for instructions if the paste tube doesn't have any.

Be careful, enjoy wonderful shaves and have fun!

All good advice here so far.

There is no need to rush out and buy lots of stuff immediately. I would hold off on using the paste too for the time being at least (it is made by Dovo but not limited to their razors).

Check out the beginner's section and the library here before spending lots of cash. You will come to it all in good time.

I am glad that you have no razor burn or cuts. I know that once you get into this you will discover a love for shaving that you didn't know was possible.

Take your time and good luck.

I do 25 linen, 75 bare leather after every shave.

Please let me explain, I was just giving advise that he can get by without the linen. As he gets more equipment money he can get one, I myself never miss using my linen ever! I find its the first step in my final edge that cleans and aligns before. Go to the leather, it's just the way I Like it. But you can do without it, just do enough leather to get there, but I like the idea of cleaning my edge before I go to one of my nice strops. Tc