Thread: When to start stropping ....

Hi Bootstrap!

You should be stropping before EVERY shave. Beard hair is tough stuff, and it will wear an edge down quickly.

If I were in your position, I wouldn't use the razor again until you've stropped it. If you do it too many times, you will dull it beyond what stropping can fix.

Newbie stropping will only dull your blade if you don't prepare yourself. As mentioned above, practice with a butterknife first. Read the Wiki on stropping and watch videos.A few basic points.

1. The strop should be pulled straight, but not tight. Use just enough pressure to get it straight.
2. The razor should be laid spine-first, then edge, on the strop before you begin. The spine should be leading the stroke. Focus on the spine as you strop.
3. Use no more than the weight of the blade to strop.
4. Flip the razor on its spine when you come back the other way, not the edge!
4. Use an X-pattern so that all of the blade is stropped equally.

People use all kinds of positions. Some have the strop high up, like Jockeys does. Some have it at waist level. Some have it straight out infront of them and stroke back-to-front, while others have it pulled across their body and stroke right-to-left. Experiment with what works for you.

When you feel you are making decent, reasonably consistent strokes, try it on your razor, and then have a shave. Your face will thank you!