Thread: Stropping Problems

Hi, I've shaved 3 times and every time it has gotten better, closer and less irritation. But every time I strop I seem to nick the outside edge of the the strop on the right hand side only(right handed) and on both ends. It doesn't nick every path but once in a while on the leather side id catches the edge of the strop and it puts a little cut in it. It happens when I'm doing the flipping and I always flip on the spine! Maybe my hand is slipping and I accidently put the edge into the strop just for a second before I flip on the spine. They're tiny little cuts but I'm sure I'm doing something wrong when it happens once in a while?

When you're turning the razor on the spine at the end of the stroke, make sure you completely STOP the stroke before you flip the razor. You're probably doing what you see on the youtube videos where the guys are going back and forth all over the place. They have experience, that's why they can do that, I don't so I can't. I just end up nicking my strop if I do that. Strop in an even stroke. Make sure the blade stays flat throughout the whole stroke. Also really make sure you stop the stoke before you flip. That's the key.

Take your time is all I can say. You'll get better at it. But take the time now to focus on your technique. the bigger problem now is that those nicks can damage your edge. There are some threads here on repairing nicked strops. Hopefully you didn't buy a really nice one to start.
I am by no means an expert on this, and I probably need to do more research myself, but I repaired mine by cutting off any large chunks that were sticking up, then using a pumice stone to smooth/sand any roughness out of the edges all along the strop. You can also use a pumice stone all along the surface to increase the draw of the strop.

Now that you've heard my advice, here's some advice from people who know what they're talking about:

I had same problem when i started.,Start slow make sure blabe is fully turned on your up or down strokes
there are a lot of youtube post on stropping check them out

Same problem here when I started. I ended up with a row of little nicks about 1/8 to 1/4 inches apart on both sides and on both ends where I usually ended a stroke. I still do it occasionally. At first, it was more because of a pressure problem and found myself rotating the razor slightly as I was completing a stroke and taking the pressure off, right before I flipped the razor. If I do it now, it may be more of me just getting ahead of myself and trying to go the other direction before I flip the razor over.

+1 on slowing down a little. I have read that guys have glued the little corner divots that stick up on the edge and then rub with the pumice stone. The barber manual on stropping and honing in the help files here mentions practicing flipping the razor without moving on the strop. Also has some other pointers. On my computer it displays sideways. I printed it out for easier reading as there is a lot of really good stuff in there on stropping and honing.

Seems like a universal issue with new stroppers. Me too. Am I glad I had a TM practice strop. I have since given it to a member and have been having no problems on the "good"TM. Go slow and turn the blade as you change directions not before. It will get better!

I"m new at this single blade wet shaving thing too, and I was feeling so much a bloody looser after noticing my new Illinois 206 had some miner but "Disturbing" nicks near the right end of the shavers travel. But I see its not such an unheard of thing with us newbies, the best advice I"ve heard from this string is probably the best, like me, just "keep at it!!" , slow and easy, build up the muscle memory needed to get the skills needed.
As ever, SRP's tinkersd

What you describe sounds like a hesitation cut from trying to stop & lingering or fumbling rather than flipping before you get to the end. It's really hard to keep a razor sharp blade still on a piece of leather under tension.
You may also be pulling too hard with your strop hand trying to keep tension. A little give in the strop will make it less like a trampoline but make sure your strop hand does not wander. Locking your elbow to your side may help.

Its also a matter of getting your timing right with your razor hand & twisting the tang like a volume knob. The whole process should be smooth & relaxed with little effort & no abrupt stop /start.

This quote from AFDavis11 might help:

Keep the strop taut. Go slow, fluid. Roll the edge over the spine before you get to the end of the strop and start moving back before the edge touches down.

Keep the strop taut, but not so taut that it starts to cup on the edges.

Go relatively slow and accurate at first and speed will develop before you know it.