Thread: some advice on my stropping technique

Hello Guys

So I got my Dovo carbon steel 6/8 shave ready and it was great, it cut thru the moustache and beard with ease.

But now after a few uses I'm getting a hard time, got cuts and drag and stuff.

I have stropped it before every shave but I think my stropping is poor. I use an Illinois "russian" leather and linen strop with a Dovo yellow strop paste.

Here's how I do it:

I apply some strop paste over the edge of the blade, without touching it.

Then I strop in the linen side with the razor flat over the strop and the spine of the razor "in front" leading down drawing a diagonal line to cover all the edge length. After that I roll the blade over the spine and then move it the other way around in a similar way than before, i do this for 60 or 70 times.

After that I do the same using the leather strop, but just 15 times.

All your help is appreciated

Thanks in advance and merry xmas!!!

Edit: Just in case I think my soap/lather might not be helping either: I use a classic shaving soap (from classicshaving.com) and a Vulfix Super badger brush on a Thier Issard stainless steel mug.

Victor,

Check out the wiki information on razor stropping, and check back in with additional questions.

Cheers,

Put the strop paste in a drawer and forget you have it for a while. Read the section on stropping in the last couple of pages in the 1961 barber manual excerpt from the SRP Wiki help files here. Apply their suggestions to your stropping and report back.

So, If I'm reading correct, your linen strop has Yellow paste all over it. What Jimmyhad said, forget about the pastes for a while.
To be honest here, I'm not sure what the yellow paste does or is, but it can't be good to use all the time...The linen or canvas side is really just a pre cursor to the leather. I was always under the impression that it kind of heated up your blade a bit before ti hit the leather...There are a lot of theory's, I'm sure.

Plus, never apply paste directly to the blade, again, if I'm reading right. Pastes are meant for refreshing dull blades, not for daily use.
You may have rolled your blade if your using paste all the time. This is a common problem.
You can try just using the leather, if it's clean. 50 x strokes, light, and fast, if you can.
See if that improves your shave, and by all means, get yourself a new piece of canvas or linen and don't paste it.
Check SRD. They have some, If your shave does not improve, I'd recommend sending it to one of our honemeister. Also, check the wiki here:

Razor stropping - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Also, there's a whole section there with video's and everything. Enjoy...

Thnx for the info guys

The option of sending the blade to get hone by a pro is beyond my possibilities, because I live in Costa Rica.

I'm reading the urls provided above, I'll tell you if I got any improvements.

There's probably nothing wrong with the shaving soap itself. It's been reviewed here.
The biggest issue seems to be a burning sensation experienced by many. It was reviewed early 2008, so they may have changed formulation since then. If it doesn't burn, then it's suitability probably isn't the issue.

Follow the other guy's advice. Strop paste is not needed. You may want it once a year, but many don't.

After that, it's just a case of practising technique. Take it nice & slow. The speed will come later as the skill develops.

That yellow "paste" is just grease for condition the leather side of the strop. To be applied very sparingly, once a year or so. Or even better, not at all. If you regularly rub the leather with your bare hands, the natural oils from your skin will keep the leather in top condition.

The edge on your razor might not be lost. It probably just requires an efficient stropping. First you need to remove all the yellow paste from your linen. Put a few layers of kitchen tissue paper on top of it and a double sheet of newspaper. Then run a hot iron over it, refreshing the tissue paper regularly.

When the linen is clean again, strop 60 laps. Your method sounds good. You need some speed during the stroke. Flip the razor as slow as you want, but do apply some speed during the stroke. Pressure must be light, but enough to have some friction going on.
Repeat those 60 laps on the leather strop, same fashion.

Let's see if that re-awakens the edge.

Best regards,
Bart.

Hi there!!

So I followed ur advice, put the paste away and gave my razor the best stropped I could.

I have this problem: The sound that I get is not the same in both ways, so I'm getting what I think is called "uneven bevel"; I really noticed this last night when I was shaving, one way it cut pretty good, the other way it was like a fork :S a lot of drag and pain.

Should I think about honing? Remember that sending it to a honemeister is not an option.

Regards