Thread: Things about stropping I learned the hard way

I'll agree with the light touch. I stropped the edges off of 2 razors after a 36 hour stint of being awake. I don't know why I had the bright idea to shave, but regardless now I will have to hone the razors to restore the edges.

I've got a number of good horsehide strops - including a new condition Torrey made in Worcester, MA - and I find myself using them less and less. Why? I've adopted the jointing (or "breadknifing") technique at the end of honing on a 30k Shapton followed by three very light strokes into the edge. After that, it doesn't seem to need stropping. Interestingly, the three jointing strokes I use leave progressively lighter stains on the white Shapton and that's how I know to do the three light drawing strokes.

Originally Posted by 13thentity

I'll agree with the light touch. I stropped the edges off of 2 razors after a 36 hour stint of being awake.

I was once a bit stressed out while stropping 2 razors at my desk. I absolutely stropped the bejesus out of them. Remarkably I don't think it did any damage (I doubt it did any good either.) But I'll tell you this, it sure was a good way to work off some tension, and it showed those razors who was boss!

I've seen those videos too: old master barbers who have been srt8-shaving folks for 100 years, stropping on loose, slack strops at 300 mph.

Clearly, what these guys are doing works even though it is technically "wrong," kind of like Jeff Healy playing the guitar by laying it flat on his lap. These old barbers are doing something in the wrist that compensates for the slack strop; something I do not comprehend & can't identify or replicate.

If you're a noob, stick with the technically "correct" way: tight strop, light pressure. There are obviously other ways that work, but I couldn't tell you how to do them.

Originally Posted by jcd

OK, that was funny

I suppose it does curve a little then, but not as much as I see in the vids. It's possible that the camera angles are deceptive; I cant judge.

Originally Posted by Johnny J

I've seen those videos too: old master barbers who have been srt8-shaving folks for 100 years, stropping on loose, slack strops at 300 mph.

Clearly, what these guys are doing works even though it is technically "wrong," kind of like Jeff Healy playing the guitar by laying it flat on his lap. These old barbers are doing something in the wrist that compensates for the slack strop; something I do not comprehend & can't identify or replicate.

If you're a noob, stick with the technically "correct" way: tight strop, light pressure. There are obviously other ways that work, but I couldn't tell you how to do them.

I think they may be pushing/pulling the spine into the slack strop quick enough for the part behind it to be pulled softly upwards onto the edge. Sort of riding a leather wave maybe?
I'll bet that edge is being ever-so-gently tickled into perfection...

Originally Posted by m0isty

I think they may be pushing/pulling the spine into the slack strop quick enough for the part behind it to be pulled softly upwards onto the edge. Sort of riding a leather wave maybe?
I'll bet that edge is being ever-so-gently tickled into perfection...

That kinda describes it pretty well, wave riding in reverse It is about the push/pull bias with the spine but it's not about speed, it can be done slowly too. The spine does slightly curl the leather while the edge trails on a flat surface but it's not for beginners. Too easy to pressure the edge.

Originally Posted by Johnny J

-- You can't over-strop. (well, maybe you can if you have OCD and do 1000 laps, but really, you can't over-strop). If the linen is failing to restore your edge, there's no harm in trying more laps.

My wife would disagree with you. I love to strop my razors when I have nothing else to do and she will complain that I am playing with my razors again. It hasn't done any harm to my razors, but my wife thinks I have OCD.
But then again, maybe I do, maybe I do, maybe I do.

Thanks a ton! I'm about to start stropping/straight shaving in the next couple days and will definately take this into consideration.

I too have seen the videos where it looks like people are pressing down with a good amount of pressure on the strop. Maybe they have the ninja stropping skills that only come with years of practice. In the mean time, I'll stick to the "correct" way.....

To make another musical reference, there is a saying when you begin learning classical music theory, that once you've learned the rules, you can break them....and then, little by little, you morph into a jazz musician =)

Those old school barbers are the jazz musicians of straight shaving!