Happy with results, but still some questions...

I've been shaving with a straight razor for a little over a month now, and though I am happy with my results, there are still a couple of areas that I think I still need to understand better:
1) I question my stropping technique, and don't know if I have a good grasp on if I am doing it correctly. I try to hold the strop as taut as possible, and use a light touch with the razor, but I can't tell if I am doing anything good, or if I am simply rubbing the spine of the razor against the strop. At least it doesn't seem that I am damaging the razor yet.

2) I don't know if I am building my lather correctly. I try to build up lather in a mug, using SRD soap, but sometimes my lather seems very thin, though I am only using a small amount of water (~1-2 teaspoons or so).

My shave itself is good, especially considering how long I have been shaving with a straight, though I am still having trouble with my chin and jawline. I'm sure that those will improve with experience, though, and am more concerned with stropping and forming lather. Does anyone have any insight on either of these?

Dave

First, check out the Beginners Guide in the Wiki if you haven't already.

My small comments:

1 - slacken up the strop a little bit and look closely to make sure you have even contact between the razor and the strop. Go a little on the slow side until you get the hang of it. That takes practice just as much as the shave does.

2 - ~1-2 teaspoons is (probably) too much water. I'd say drench the brush, shake out ALL of the water and add it DROP BY DROP until it's right. I find about 5 drops gets good lather for most soaps, but of course it's case by case. I say drops because I really mean drops - not splashes and certainly not spoonfuls.

You're right to focus on stropping and prep - the tricky parts of your face will come with time.

Good luck and keep us posted! :gl:

Welcome. Stropping is very important. Taut is good but not so much as it makes your holding arm ache. If the spine is in contact with the leather/linen it's difficult to do much damage to the edge, lightness of touch is imperative. Check out Mantic's videos on making lather. The Wiki contains a wealth of information including articles on stropping (the last two links on this page are what you need) and lathering. Good luck, keep asking questions and enjoy yourself.

You don't need to pull the hell out of your strop , but you do need to keep it taught enough so you don't have any sag in it . You want to keep the spine and the edge in contact with the strop , which is the tricky part . You need to use a little pressure to make sure the edge is contacting the strop , and be careful not to lift the spine when the edge is in contact with the strop . There's no substitute for experience , and there's only one way to get experience . The more you strop the better you will get .

Just practise, practise and practise. The first 100 shaves are just training. It will improve.

Hi,
I'm actually a bit heavy handed on the strop, but the main thing is to ensure the spine does not lift off the strop. You should be able to hear "rasping" sounds as the edge is pulled along the leather, but never "ringing" sounds.

On the lathering, 1-2 tsp is waaayyyy too much water. I use col conk soap puck. I soak my brush for a minute or two, and I put maybe 1/8 tsp of hot water on top of the puck to soften it up. I then squeeze out 90% of the water out of the brush then load up the brush. If it is too dry, I drizzle a tiny bit of water into the base of the brush and go from there.

When you get the soap/water ratio correct it should explode into thick creamy lather, the consistancy of mayonaise. Watery paste isn't right, and actually that can dry out on your face faster than the "dryer" but thicker real lather.

-Chief

On the stropping, try a few slow strokes and see if you are keeping both the edge and the spine on the strop throughout your strokes. It should be the same when you strop at normal speed. Normal speed should not be too fast or too slow, but more a natural rhythm.

As far as the soap, I agree with the previous comments. Sounds like way too much water. You can always add a touch of water as you are making your suds. I can overflow a brush with suds on the soap you are using. If you are using a bowl or even the palm of your hand, start off with just the damp brush and load it up with the soap. Then add a drop of water and whip the brush in the bowl or your hand. You can do this several times until you get the suds where you like them. Actually, you can do the same thing on your face too.

Have fun,

Lynn