Thread: Dulling my razor?

I'm fairly certain that while stropping, I'm dulling my razor. At the very least, I'm not helping it regain its sharp edge.

When I strop (using the Filly), I keep the strop taut, only use the pressure of the weight of the blade, and I am careful to keep the blade in contact with the strop for the entire motion. Needless to say, I also flip across the spine.

Each time I strop, I use 50-75 passes on the leather, and though it is horsehide, I can feel the draw. There is not a lot, but enough to tell that the razor is at least making contact.

What, possibly, am I doing wrong? I noticed when I stropped today that I do put a little pressure on the tang with my thumb; does this have anything to do with it?

I've read the wiki and watched the videos, but it looks like I'm off to do so again.

The only thing that comes to mind would be excessive slowness, or inconsistent stropping speed: Razor stropping - Straight Razor Place Wiki. Do you have anyone around who knows how to strop properly? If so, have him watch your technique. My personal problem was not flipping the razor completely, but turning my wrist to achieve a full twist. Thanks, Bart!

Have your read the 1961 barber manual excerpt in the SRP Wiki help files here ? The last couple of pages are concerned with proper stropping. I was a wrist turner and I didn't hold the tang between the tips of my forefinger and thumb. I had to relearn stropping all over again and it was hard to break bad habits but my stropping improved dramatically from reading that stuff and applying it.

Stropping is one of those things that looks deceptively simple but in practice takes a definite skillset to do correctly. Once you learn the wrong way it can be very difficult to unlearn it.

Like the other's have said check our resource material here and pay close attention to the details. It's all in the wrist.

Not that it has anything to do with your question, but the Filly strop is not horsehide. From RR website: " The Filly is made from grade one, top grain 9oz cowhide." It is also treated / prepared with a pumice stone for "...a velvet draw...".

I'm wondering if not applying *enough* pressure might be the problem. The dulling would occur if the spine were to lift away from the strop, causing the edge to roll. I personally am pretty heavy handed with pressure on the strop, but I focus the pressure on driving the spine into and across the strop (so there really isn't that much pressure on the actual edge).

-Chief

Thanks for all your help, guys. I'll try it all and see if it works...after I get my razors sharp enough to tell the difference, first!