Third Shave Frustration

I agree with Xman. I don't think the angle is an issue if your technique is correct.

Make sure you have some draw on the leather side. If it is glossy slick, you probably have little or no draw and the strop isn't doing its job. You'll find some threads in the Strop forum discussing how different members treat or break-in a strop with sandpaper, pumice stone, etc. Not all strops need it but it's something you might need to consider. I lightly rubbed mine with my DMT 325 and it made a tremendous improvement in the draw.

Also, I don't believe that the "less is better" mantra you hear regarding honing is applicable to stropping. If you need to apply a little pressure to feel a draw, do it. If you have to apply a lot of pressure to feel a draw something is wrong with the strop.

After roughing up the leather side and starting to apply a little pressure when stropping, I find that the edge is staying shave-ready longer.

All ''ways" of doing things can have inherent flaws but the outcome is all that matters.
Understanding the principles behind what you do will allow you a lot of flexibility in technique. e.g I like a strop with some draw straight after honing but I like an icy slick strop for finishing an edge.

Get Bill Ellis' CD & watch the honing video. The last few minutes on stropping may go against the grain of some people here as he advocates slight play in the strop & up to 3 lbs pressure but can Bill hone an edge.?
Rhetorical question really.

Time & practice will show you what works for you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xman

You know that factory ready blades still need a little time on the hone to be truly shave ready right?

X

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Thanks for the feedback, guys - after I took the Old West to the pasted paddle strop it was better - I spent more time on the linen & leather for the Black Star it was also a big improvement - I think my stropping technique (lighter this time but still w/little bit of pressure & yep, Onimaru - feeling for the draw) is improving...

Sparq: shave no. 4 was Str8 only! Only went WTG and left a 5 o'clock shadow, chin was still rough, but a good feeling nonetheless...

X: reckon you may be right, still trying to take a shot at breaking these puppies in myself, first. I was also trying to get a barber's hone from someone on SRP to help me touch them up as well.

I also just got my first vintage blade, a Boker spike point that I cleaned up, polished & stropped - looking forward to seeing how that compares to the Dovos tonight.

I guess one of the basic underlying issues for all us newbies is (and some have pointed this out before) that none of us really have any idea what a really sharp, shave ready str8 is supposed to feel like - unless we have Glen, Max or anohter senior member prep one for us (or really get it then way when shipped). I'll keep experimenting with what I can do with my limited tools first, though.