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!