Nicking the strop

Allright so here is my newest issue lol. I know that I dont know exactly what i'm doing with stropping but it seems like every time i do i put a gouge in the leather. I was wondering if you all know why this is happening. I personally think it might be because my strop is hanging high so on the push stroke i'm going slightly up and when my hand stops it seems to want to pull back ever slightly and dig the blade into the side of the leather. Also i havent quite gotten to where it is all one fluid motion so my hand and the blade stop just long enough for me to flip the razor on its spine. Honestly i blame the guys that honed my razors they made it to sharp. lol j/k

well it happened to me too the first few times. once you get the synchronization down it'll be all good.

Nicking the strop is not uncommon when starting out, it can also happen if your mind wanders. Don't try to strop too fast, concentrate on getting the movement correct. Lots of info on this site by people more experienced than me on the best way to strop a razor.

You mention going upward. Being an old timer myself, in my youth I watched many a barber strop a razor. The hook that the strop hung on was built into the barber's chair and hung just a bit below waist high. I use zip ties (cable ties) to attach the strop to a door knob. For me that happens to be a bit below waist high and works well.

Something I read in the barber manual was to practice flipping the razor between your thumb and forefinger on the strop without moving your arm. When you have that down strop slow and easy. Speed will come. I concur with welshwizard about nicking the strop if you let your mind wander. I put a bad nick in my Tony Miller latigo doing just that. It was after 1AM and I was really tired but didn't want to go to bed without shaving. So I would add to the mind wandering thing not to strop when you are fatigued.

You might find the following articles in our Wiki useful:
· http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwiki/index.php/The_Zen_of_Straight_Shaving
· http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Razor_stropping
· http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Strop_treatment_and_repair

I just nicked a brand new strop yesterday. It happens. I stopped paying attention.

And before that, I took a gouge out of my TM strop because I forgot what I was doing.

I inflicted a not insignificant slice into my beloved Tony Miller strop due to inattention.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to repair a slice?

I'm told contact cement followed by pumice stone. I have to try it myself on my TM latigo. Inattention is one thing and fatigue is another. I learned not to strop when it is time to go to sleep. :(

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Originally Posted by billyjeff2

Anyone have any suggestions on how to repair a slice?

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It is all in the Wiki: Using rubber cement to repair a deep nick

In order to help learn the stropping technique, and avoid the bit of backslide you mention, I purposely went slow and raise the edge up for the last bit of the forward slide. Even though it was exaggerated, I felt it was better to do this and then slowly learn to do this less and less, rather than to try and lift the blade and stop at the same time.

In other words, start near you and move away from you. When you get 80% of the way to where you want to stop, start to gradually lift the edge, keeping the spine down. As you finish the last 20%, which you are slowing down on, the blade is certainly lifted and in no danger of backsliding a nick into your strop. As you practice going slowly, the 20% becomes less and less and things go smooth, speeding up.

I'm not sure if it's good advice, but it is helping me avoid nicks and still get a good strop.

I think thats good advice.

I have my strop tied to a towel rack which is about shoulder height for me. So I am stropping upwards as well. What I did when I first started was used a butter knife to practice and practice. Once I got the motions down i switched the knife out with a razor and took it slow. Like the others have said it's all about practicing.

As for ways to fix the strop the wiki article is pretty good.

Hope that helps,

- Tam -

Quote:

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Originally Posted by billyjeff2

I inflicted a not insignificant slice into my beloved Tony Miller strop due to inattention.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to repair a slice?

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Have you contacted Tony? :thinking:

I can't understimate the benefit I've had from using the practice strop I got from Tony Miller when I bought my cotton/latigo from him. Glad the nicks are on it and not the gorgeous real deal.

Jim

Stropping Technique.

I am a newbie and am no expert but I haven't nicked anything in at least two weeks (haven't been keeping track).

I did really chew up a practice strop from RupRazor then after I thought I had the technique down went and chewed up an SRD strop. :gaah: Luckily they have replacement leather.

But now I am better at it and besides simple practice I do have one suggestion, something that helped me right away. It is a a matter of attitude, or visualization. When flipping the razor at the end of a stroke, don't think of it as flipping the sharp edge over the top, but as slipping the spine underneath, keeping the spine in contact with the strop. That causes you to change direction just as you are doing the flip. (Because the spine is in the lead.) :tu

BUT whenever you try ANYTHING new be sure to do it S L O W L Y !

That reminds me of one more piece of advice: Don't try to go fast. Just go at a comfortable, in control, rate. This will just naturally get a little faster as time goes by. :gl:

I also have this problem being a newbie what I find helps is at the end of each stroke take the razor of the strop completely turn it over and come back the other way, I find it improves technique, speed and your strop looks a lot happier afterwards :) hope this helps

Alright so for starters i think i'm going to try moving the strop down to a lower level so that when i pull it tight it lies flat. I've been practicing on a bad razor and strop and also i know it sounds odd but on my arm. The blade is dull and doesnt cut anything so i hold my arm straight and move it back and forth slowly so that i can feel if the blade or spine is picking up. I know that sounds weird and prob unsafe but its what i'm trying atm. I'll let you guys know how it goes.