Thread: Stropping

I couldn't possibly agree more that the importance of stropping is under emphasized everywhere. I regularly have to rehone a razor that is freshly honed and I know is sharp because newbs eiither strop wrong or don't strop enough. There used to be a study on here and there might still be that said around 50 or 60 laps is what maximizes the life of a razor and it is common knowledge that a strop should be taught but not over taught cause it can curl the strop and ruin the razor yet it is not often said to newbs. Also the pressure should be no more than that needed to deflect the strop 1/8 to 1/4 in inches. Newbs should spend more time practicing stropping with a butter knife because the razor may be sharp but it won't be comfortable or stay sharp without proper stropping technique.

Great Information! I'm new and didn't really know about the 50-60 laps study. Very interesting.

If it's any use, I can emphasise the quality of the shave being the signalling factor. I discovered my flawed technique shaving with a very sharp blade stropped by myself, versus the same blade on the other half of my face stropped by someone else. Catching hairs, some resistance and drag, versus sliding like a surfboard on a millpond.

I am pretty new as well and although I knew the importance of stropping I can personally attest to the quality of shave versus the quality of stropping is directly related. I know I am not a pro at any of this but I can definitely tell when I haven't stropped well. So I have developed a system around my busy life. I have three razors all are honed reasonably well. while browsing the site I will strop each of these razors until I am satisfied with the HHT throughout the length of the blade, my arms are bald because of this too because before I try the HHT I try to trim hairs at slightly above skin level. If it wont do that I try at skin level (this is what balds my arms. Anyway I will strop these razors when I have time to really pay attention to them then I will use them and repeat the process. What boggles my mind though is this finding that I have found, if I hone a razor starting at a 5000 belguim stone then go to a 12000 stone I can't get the HHT to work at all, but if I ad just a few passes on a regular strop and seriously it can be just 3 or 4 passes, I can practically drop the hair on top of the razor and the hair will either stick to the blade or nearly pop (bend indicating a near cut through) but if I try the HHT it's like butter and a hot butter knife. That is why I think stropping is so important.

This was a nicely timed read for me today. I suppose I have got into a way with stropping and mostly things are fine. Today I took down a razor which I didn't enjoy using last time - it tugged a bit. I paid particular attention to my form on stropping, started off slow and got a good featherlight action going then speeded up, really concentrating all the time. X patterned on a 3" strop for about 80 passes. Attention to the weight, contact with the strop and letting it flow, thinking 'burnish' all the time. Maybe a bit of positive mental attitude directed towards it all helps! Had a great shave - mostly BBS. Also used a new scuttle from 'Oskar' today - great bit of kit. Will post some pictures of this in the right place soon.

So not so much 'strop taking you for granted' and more 'strop, strop, strop' as the Hollies (nearly) said! I'll stick to the day job...

Thanks, Alan! Great reminder for me to slow down and really concentrate on this part of the shave. It's all too easy for me to be thinking about other things while stropping.

I didn't know I was honing well enough to shave comfortably until I got the the hang of stropping well.
I overhoned a few edges before figuring out my stropping was the problem.

Originally Posted by The Topher

I couldn't possibly agree more that the importance of stropping is under emphasized everywhere. I regularly have to rehone a razor that is freshly honed and I know is sharp because newbs eiither strop wrong or don't strop enough. There used to be a study on here and there might still be that said around 50 or 60 laps is what maximizes the life of a razor and it is common knowledge that a strop should be taught but not over taught cause it can curl the strop and ruin the razor yet it is not often said to newbs. Also the pressure should be no more than that needed to deflect the strop 1/8 to 1/4 in inches. Newbs should spend more time practicing stropping with a butter knife because the razor may be sharp but it won't be comfortable or stay sharp without proper stropping technique.

So, is there some slight pressure you are supposed to apply? Or are you just trying to glide the razor along with just the blade weight?

I'm using a TM starter strop and am just trying to glide the razor along it as lightly as I can. Should there be a tiny amount of downward pressure component?

Alan, thank you so much for this post!! It prompted me to really put aside the paddle strop and practice on the horsehide hanging strop I have.

Today, I had the most comfortable shave with the sharpest razor I've had to date after 8 months of daily shaving with a straight.

60 laps on the horsehide for a Dubl Duck Dwarf given to me for free from a local older barber. I knew it was sharp because 1) I didn't hone it , he had years ago. 2) After stropping, for the first time ever, I've now had a razor that easily lopped one of my very fine blond hairs in half on an HHT (previous to this I've ALWAYS had to use my wife's hair for HHTs, even with shaving sharp razors, my own hair simply never would do it). Virtually no resistance anywhere on my face when shaving this morning. I was able to use the lightest touch when shaving. Truly a pleasure (also the first time I've used a spike point and....no probs).

One thing that really helped me in eliminating nicking my strop: I printed off the page in the archives from the barber manual and deciphered the hand written notes from the student's book. He had written something about the razor should remain in contact with the strop at all times during stropping. I do this now and...no more nicking.

Very cool. Thanks again. Man alive is that DD Dwarf sharp!

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chrisl

He had written something about the razor should remain in contact with the strop at all times during stropping. I do this now and...no more nicking.

I try very hard to do this, and it can be difficult at times because I naturally want to pull the blade away from the strop. But yeah, I work hard at rolling the razor on the spine and leaving it on the strop.

+1 to that, and congrats on the good shave!

~Chris