Thread: Any Advice will be gratefully received

It can happen to any of us. I've been straight shaving for 10 years, and I let a spike-point shorty that TC loaned me to try last summer bite me twice! I have shaved with a number of spikes over the years without incident. I think that this one being a shorty-I didn't anticipate that point being where it was when I lifted the heel, and it just dug into my fat cheek lol!

Originally Posted by outback

Yep!...it was all you. No doubt about it.

LOL, Seriously though Mike.

You sent that Demon wicked sharp, you should stop shaving and dedicate your life to honing razors for me.

I will say though, I’m really pleased that my stropping has come along well enough that I haven’t killed your edge. Although my cheek might not agree.

Steve

Id be more than happy to hone them for you, but I would imagine shipping fees would be the hardship. But that's your call. But I'm not gonna stop shaving. Could you imagine that...a guy that doesn't shave, saying...eh, buddy, ya want me to hone yer razor for ya.

Originally Posted by STF

LOL, Seriously though Mike.

You sent that Demon wicked sharp.

@Outback

I have noticed that the more I use that Demon and the more it gets stropped. The more comfortable it is.

Why would that be? Am I just getting used to the razor or maybe stropping makes an edge more comfortable.

Or maybe it’s just my imagination.

It was so nice this morning.

Steve

Stropping will help mellow a edge like that one. So your not doing anything wrong. The strop is rounding of the base of the apex, giving the edge a convexed look. That's why I use a progression of strops after a fresh honing.

I start with a heavy draw, and finish on a lite draw, like a shell or Roo strop. Between all those strops, I accumulate somewhere around 300 passes or more. And well worth the effort come shave time.

I got a barber that has me hone his razors once in awhile. His are convexed, big time. I might hone them once or twice a year, other than that, all he does is strops them.

Here's a pic of one of his. You can see how rounded the apex is.

Originally Posted by outback

Stropping will help mellow a edge like that one. So your not doing anything wrong. The strop is rounding of the base of the apex, giving the edge a convexed look. That's why I use a progression of strops after a fresh honing.

I start with a heavy draw, and finish on a lite draw.

Hi Mike,

Quick question.

Whats a heavy / light draw and how do I know what draw my American English Bridle is?

I just go up and down it, I'm a bit faster with my stropping than when I started but I am still very careful so I don't hurt my edges. I seem to be doing well and still shave fine so I can't be doing anything too wrong.

I also want to thank you for muting the square point on my demon because I just used an unmuted square point that I bought from Bouschie a few weeks ago, I had just kind of looked nervously at it until today. I shaved without any blood and I'm sure your practice point helped me.

Steve

Draw is drag. The amount of drag a strop has. So if you are going up and down the strop and it feels slick and slides across with next to no resistance you have little to no draw. On the other end of the spectrum, if the strop feels like it wants to take the razor out of your hand you have a lot of draw.

Having someone else se your strop or owning lots of strops is the only way to learn fast or slow. Slow meaning lots of draw. Hope that helps.

It is all relative.

My Neil Miller English Bridal is the heaviest draw of all my strops. My Kanayamas have a lot less draw especially the 90000. You need two strops to get a comparison.

Do you give your strop a good palm rubbing? For me, a good rub will reduce the draw. YMMV!

You can give it a good rub with a damp cloth. This may change the draw. Warning the red eye will permanently stain the cloth. With cold weather a forced air furnance will dry the leather.

If new it probably does not need oil but a very light rub with some 100% Neets foot oil will change draw.

Let us know the results .

Gasman has it covered, Steve.

If you are not hurting your edges stropping, you are doing nothing wrong. I doubt there is much difference in effect on the edge between a fast or slow draw. The draw is usually a user preference.


Bob