Thread: Razor "tug"

How does one tell when it's time to strop up a razor on the linen side? Is it when the razor seems to tug more on the whiskers than actually cut them? If my razor is doing that, it it just time to get a hone?

I've been stropping ~ 15-20 passes on the leather strop before every shave. The razor was shave ready by a member here, and I've been using it almost daily since the beginning of the month. My whiskers are fairly thick, so I'm wondering if I just need to pass the blade up and down the linen a few times, or ...

Cheers!
-Jake

15-20 leather isn't much. You should try about 25 canvas and 50 leather before each shave. If you do a proper stroke you'll notice quite a difference in the quality of your shaves. Considering tha you've been using it every day for about a month now you might want to give the blade a touch up on a finishing stone or with some paste (diamond paste, Cr0). This would help freshen up the blade to its former glory.

I use the linen or canvas as a starter every time i strop. 20 to 30 laps, maybe more if i'm in the mood, followed by anywhere between 40 & 60 on leather. It may be, as Dups suggested, that your simply not stropping enough.

Originally Posted by Dups

You should try about 25 canvas and 50 leather before each shave.

That's what I do and it works for me. Right off the hone, I typically stop the blade 50 on the linen and 100 on the leather.

Thanks guys for all the good feedback/advice! I tried about 50 up/down passes on my linen before doing about the same on the leather side, and it made quite the difference! Still a bit of irritation, but I think that has more to do with my prep than the blade, since it was much closer and more comfortable this morning. I will need to get a hone fairly soon, as there are 3 other razors in my stable that were either a freebie or an ebay purchase that need some honing before I'll be able to try them out!

At this point, I'm just waiting for payday before trying to decide between the starter hone kit from CS.com or just the 4/8k Norton stone.

I should probably read through some of the honing intros and buy/watch Lynn's DVD before asking too many questions about honing

Not to encourage you to spend more, BUT.... I would buy a combo coticule instead of a Norton 4/8k.

I have an 8k, and a few coticules, and I would take the coticule any day. Better feedback, smoother shavin', and more versatile.

It does take a bit more technique (check out Bart's wiki entries), but it's worth it if you have some razors to practice on.

I got a stone from Howard, and one from Ardennes and both are awesome, and they frequent the forums, so you can't go wrong.

Here's how to tell when to use the linen strop: Do your leather side stropping like you've been doing (15-20 RT's and aim for a stropping rate of at least 80 RT's/ minute or more*) then wet your thumb pad and check the edge of your razor. If it feels sufficiently keen, no need for the linen. If not keen, strop on the linen side about 12 RT's then finish on the leather side another 15-20 RT's and check with your thumb again. If the edge feels like it's getting keener by doing the above, but not quite where you want it to be, strop some more on the leather side, thumb check again and then try shaving.

See how that works.



Scott


* Yes, this is a fast rate for a beginner. You will have to work up gradually to this speed otherwise you risk cutting up your strop, or worse. If you are an experienced straight razor user (1 year or more), 80 RT's/ min + shouldn't be too difficult a speed to attain. It is my personal opinion that speed is an important factor in getting the best results with a strop.

PS - I tend to use the linen strop each time. And that is another approach to the question.

Originally Posted by ithacaJake

How does one tell when it's time to strop up a razor on the linen side? Is it when the razor seems to tug more on the whiskers than actually cut them? If my razor is doing that, it it just time to get a hone?

I've been stropping ~ 15-20 passes on the leather strop before every shave. The razor was shave ready by a member here, and I've been using it almost daily since the beginning of the month. My whiskers are fairly thick, so I'm wondering if I just need to pass the blade up and down the linen a few times, or ...

Cheers!
-Jake

First off: you can strop 20-50 times on linen before EVERY shave without negatively impacting your edge. Linen is abrasive, but not that abrasive.

Secondly: if it's starting to pull, and you are able to shave and strop correctly (as it seems in your post), then your edge must be getting dull....right?

If so, then you need something to sharpen it. Since this is posted in the newbies section, I think a pasted abrasive strop should work well for you. However, if you use that pasted strop, you will still have to hone it eventually.

It only prolongs the inevitable... you must buy a hone. Or lots of hones, if you get the addiction like so many others.

+1 on the posts above. as soon as i read the post i thought you should just up the number of laps on the strop and see where it gets you. for me i do 20-30 on the linen and then 50-60 on the leather before and then about 20 on the leather after though it isn't essential.

as far as touching up the blade goes, check out the chinese 12k or i think the yellow coticule without slurry will work also though isn't as high grit (i could be wrong though). i have a 12k chinese and it works good on my carbon blades but the one stainless puma i have doesn't react well to it, though i might just need to refine my technique. i have a CrOx strop that i use a lot but only for getting the shaves to be smoother, not really as a touch up (the CrOx seems too fine), i think a pasted paddle strop would be more suited for the coarser grit pastes.

it really isn't all that complicated but educating yourself on the different types of hones and strops is your best bet to decide which one is best. because really there are many different ways you can do the same thing.

Originally Posted by joke1176

First off: you can strop 20-50 times on linen before EVERY shave without negatively impacting your edge. Linen is abrasive, but not that abrasive.

Secondly: if it's starting to pull, and you are able to shave and strop correctly (as it seems in your post), then your edge must be getting dull....right?

If so, then you need something to sharpen it. Since this is posted in the newbies section, I think a pasted abrasive strop should work well for you. However, if you use that pasted strop, you will still have to hone it eventually.

It only prolongs the inevitable... you must buy a hone. Or lots of hones, if you get the addiction like so many others.

So true, so true! If you can find a decent barbers hone it will keep the razor sharp indefinately, If you havent been stropping on the linen/canvas before the leather, please do so.