Stropping issues

Hey folks! It's me again...

So, stropping. I'm not sure if I'm very good at it.

During my last shave, I noticed the edge which was formerly in tip-top shape starting to lose its luster a bit. Not cutting quite close enough when it should, a little more razor burn...

It's still shaving well enough, but not as well as it was.

This is more obvious on my hollow razor. The 1/4 hollow isn't showing my poor stropping as much. I suppose the edge on a thinner ground razor is more sensitive.

This *might* be related to a problem I've noticed while stropping. I have a really hard time keeping the strop from wanting to swivel around the attachment point. So it's flat and even where my fingers are holding the end, but slightly twisted (usually away from me) at the top.

I hold the strop across my body, and stroke from left to right.

I would suspect this is causing uneven stropping across the blade, so some bits are getting stropped too little, others too hard, and others just right.

It could just be crummy technique in general, but until I sort that out I can't really know for sure.

How do I get that bloody strop to stay put?

What sort of fitting is on the end of the strop? Is it a D ring type fitting, or is it something else?

What are you attaching the strop to? You'll need to make sure that whatever you're attaching the strop to is secure and will not move when you put pressure on it.

If possible, could you post a picture of the way your strop is currently secured? The fitting on the strop and what its secured to. That would give us an opportunity to see if there are any obvious things to help stop the strop moving when you use it.

I'm guessing that you are not using the belt you mentioned a while back? Which strop do you have at the moment?

I dont know if doing the left/right pass could cause a problem, mainly because I've never done it! But I will say that if it doesnt feel right to you, and you dont feel like the razor is flat on the strop with the right amount of pressure, then you're probably right and I wouldnt keep doing it. First instincts tend to be correct IME.

One thing you could try is laying the strop flat on the table and then stropping there. This will remove any issues with the strop moving or sagging too much, and let you concentrate on the technique.

You want to keep the pressure fairly light (maybe 150% - 200% of the weight of the razor) and flip the razor over on the spine, never the edge as you could dull the razor.

Give that a try and see if it works!

Good luck!

Hey Stubear!

Below is a pic of my strop set-up. It's got a loop on it, a bit like a Filly. I just have it around a doorknob on my wardrobe which when closed is plenty secure, since the loop isn't that big.

It's a little one, about an inch and a half wide, which I received from a member here who thought it may suit my traveling ways. It's horse hide with "LONG-LIFE" at the top.

The reason I do left-to-right is because it seems the easiest way for my to keep my movements consistent. I have a bit of trouble with that due to injury. Going back to front is harder for me to control.

But at the same time, I can see how going right-to-left, with even the slightest bit of inconsistency, could cause the strop to want to shimmy around. It probably isn't the most stable way to strop.

I may also be pulling a bit too tight, in an attempt to get it to stay put. May be counter-productive.

I may try your table top idea, since it's small and it will quite easily fit on my desk. I'll try going back to front and once I get used to it I'll move back to hanging it, and try it that way.

Thanks for the pic!

Assuming the wardrobe door doesnt move or open when you are stropping, then that should be fine for anchoring.

If you find the back and forth movement harder than left/right, try securing the strop at a different height.

I actually have mine on a clothes hook on the the back of the bathroom door, so when I'm stropping its actually at a 45 degree angle. This reduces the amount of back and forth I do and replaces it with some up and down movements, but this is working very well for me. Give a few heights a try and see what you think..!

That sounds like a great strop! If its a 1.5" strop, you'll need to make the ubiquitous X pattern that all straight razor shavers know and love..! It can take a little time to get this down, but perseverance is key with this as its just one of those "need to know" things.

If you're stropping on a table, make sure you dont accidentally knock the razor on the desk as this will dull it. I'm sure thats a bit Monty Python stating the bleedin' obvious, but just something to be aware of..! :)

If you want to practice your stropping, take a butter knife and try using that to get the movement down. Its also a good way to try out different strop locations to see if you prefer the motion with the strop at a different height.

You dont need to put loads of tension on the strop, just enough to keep it fairly flat when you are using it. There was a thread yesterday I saw where some guys were talking about using LESS tension in the strop to get a better edge, so you really dont need loads.

Heres the thread:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ops-slack.html

Stropping should be a relaxed, fluid motion so if you feel yourself tensing up try to make a conscious effort to relax the muscles..!

Good luck!

EDIT: Just another thought, the door knob may be part of the problem as well as the loop on the strop will try and scoot off the rounded shape of the door knob when you put tension on the strop. You may well find a hook a better mount if you can find one or put one up somewhere?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MistressNomad

I hold the strop across my body, and stroke from left to right.

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I'm confused , when you say you stroke from left to right . Stropping is done in both directions . You make a stroke in one direction , and flip the razor over and come back in the opposite direction , so you strop both sides of the blade .

Yes, I do strop both sides. Left to right, then flip it over the spine and right to left.

I was just describing the orientation of the strop when I use it.

If you were able to come by the traditional hardware (clamp & swivel) that strops normally have that might alleviate the twisting issue that you have. JimR in Japan sells strops and might be able to get a clamp from Kanayama for you. :shrug:

I know this probably won't help much, but How many shaves does each razor have on you so far? Leg hair is a good deal tougher than facial hair, and there's more of it, so that may just be eating the blade quicker?

Also, what I did was Put a swivel clip (Like on any key chain) on the end of my strop that used a thong and bead attachment... That way, even when the cord twisted, it woudln't effect the strop...

Lanyards Hardware Attachment Options- Swivel Hook, Key Chain, Key Ring, Badge Clip One of these, Take the lanyard end (the end that clips on to things) and clip it through the top hole of the strop, then cut the lanyard off, and tie a string loop through the rectangle end, and then tie that to the door handle. Voila, now it rotates easily, this makes the strop rotate with the blade, so you usually have good contact, even if your wrist turns, and it takes torque tension off of the back of the strop... YMMV But it worked great with my TM Practice strop

I am a little rambly and unclear this early... So if you have any questions about that, or need me to make something a little clearer, let me know.

Good luck, Cassie!

Cheers,
Jeremy

EDIT: Number 1 and 5 on that link are what I'm refering to.

EDIT EDIT: Jimmy beat me to the hardware thing, but, still... Nyeh :p

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Yes, I think it may have to do with the shape of the doorknob.

I'm going to try threading some string through the loop and tying it to my towel rack instead. I should be able deduce from that if it's just a matter of getting a better attachment point.

If so, I'll likely get a lanyard and use that so it will be more stable regardless of the attachment point.

Jeremy - You may be right. I do cover a *lot* more surface area than your typical guy. I'm sure some of it is my stropping, but I may also need to touch them up more often than you guys do. I wonder if any other ladies have found this?

Each of them probably have 6 to 8 shaves under their belts.

Cool, I always used one attached to the door handle of my dorm bathroom when I had the TM Practice Strop, and it worked quite well. hope it sees you through this too.

Good luck, Cassie! Keep stropping and you'll get great results soon.

cheers,
Jeremy

I've read of people attaching their strops to a towel rack but it seems to me that would be an awkward angle to strop a razor. OTOH, some do it and get along fine. I like a door knob because it is the approximate height that pro barbers would have their strop hanging from, about waist high. Whatever an individual is comfortable with though. :gl:

Another possibility.. it looks like you are just using a leather strop with no fabric one. When I was doing that I found that stropping on leather alone wasn't able to keep the blade from slowly losing its edge, and I would have to touch up the blade with a few passes on a strp made of scrap leather with honing compound rubbed into it (Cromium Dioxide) or head back to the hones. Once I started using a linen strop first I found the edge lasted much longer. If you just want to use the leather I would think you will routinely need lots (maybe 100?) passes on leather with light pressure in order to keep up the edge.

Jimmy - My towel rack is more or less at waist level. It's one of those super-cool electric heated ones. :D

Hmmm, I may make myself a linen strop. I have lots of raw fabric (I make most of my clothes) that I could use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dgstr8

Another possibility.. it looks like you are just using a leather strop with no fabric one. When I was doing that I found that stropping on leather alone wasn't able to keep the blade from slowly losing its edge, and I would have to touch up the blade with a few passes on a strp made of scrap leather with honing compound rubbed into it (Cromium Dioxide) or head back to the hones. Once I started using a linen strop first I found the edge lasted much longer. If you just want to use the leather I would think you will routinely need lots (maybe 100?) passes on leather with light pressure in order to keep up the edge.

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on that note
how does the back of that strop feel?

janivar - It's grooved, but not rough exactly. Hmmm... I can't really describe it so here's a pic!

Figured I'd toss this out here:

Hess Hair Milk NOS canvas replacement strops - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Chris is a great guy, and that's a nice fabric component... Dunno if it will suit your needs, but there it is.

well me i would probably try it
but remembering you had issues on unusual stropping material before i dont know

Jeremy - Ya know, in 25 days, I'm going to be a stone's throw from this factory. :)

I dunno... I may try some of fabric rather than the reverse of the strop. Somehow it seems a little too abrasive? Not sure.

If you're unsure about the back of a strop, NEVER use it.. It's not worth having to send that razor back to Onimaru :P

However, That's cool. You should swing by the place and ask for some fabric scraps, or just buy a fabric component. Lucky location!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

If you're unsure about the back of a strop, NEVER use it.. It's not worth having to send that razor back to Onimaru :P

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well there you go

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

It's not worth having to send that razor back to Onimaru :P!

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I can see it now...

*head shake*

"Cassie, do strop with your feet or something? I can try to hone it, but honestly, I think it's scared of you now."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MistressNomad

I can see it now...

[...]

"I think it's scared of you now."

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Bad Pun Inbound in 3... 2... 1...

You would give it a Frowning blade

*Ba-dum PSH*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MistressNomad

Jeremy - You may be right. I do cover a *lot* more surface area than your typical guy. I'm sure some of it is my stropping, but I may also need to touch them up more often than you guys do. I wonder if any other ladies have found this?

Each of them probably have 6 to 8 shaves under their belts.

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I'd say that after 13-17 shaves I usually take the razor to a pasted strop, but I love to strop, so I may be imagining the tugs just so I can strop more.. It's fun for me... However, Since that hair is thicker/stiffer and there's more of it, I'd say that 10-20 shaves from the leg should be time to touch up... I'd look into a Barber Hone were I you... Honing is difficult to learn, but BARBER hones are quite easy if you be careful when you start... 6 passes, keep the blade perfectly flat, use water or lather as the medium and voila, shavin' sharp again.

And they're like 30 bucks... So, rather than looking for a fabric, I'd actually look for a Keen Kutter, Itsa Peach, or somethign like that... Browse the Classifieds, maybe ebay... Talk to -I think- Glen... Someoen on this forum is reputable about Barber Hones, and I think it's Glen (GsSixGun)

But yes... I'm thinking a Barber Hone is definitely the next step for you... That, and a bigger (Wider) strop, or at least some better anchoring hardware...

If you have a pair of jeans you can sacrifice (or can get hold of some raw denim), you can use a double thickness of the denim to make a two sided fabric strop.

You can then paste one side of it and leave the other side clean for daily use.

If you want an easy paste for the strop, spray the denim with spray starch and then rub it down with a piece of chalk. This will transfer chalk dust onto the fabric and starch will cause it to stick.

You can use this chalk paste everyday if you want. I do laps on a linen strop with chalk paste every day and it really helps keep my edges.

You can use this design, but instead of leather use two strips of denim.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...ome-made_strop

Or theres this method:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...p_out_of_denim

You could also make a paddle strop by gluing some leather to some wood. You can put leather on both sides and CrOx one side if you want to, or do leather one side and denim the other.

Good luck!

That's a good one Stu, I completely forgot about Denim strops... That would be a really easy alternative..'

And I like this chalk idea.... Hmm....

I actually have a barber hone on the way! I'm acquiring things... oh no...

Hmm, chalk... didn't think of that.

What brand/size of barber hone? Because that should do everythign you need. Hell, denim strops work fine un-pasted, I can't speak to the Chalk, but that sounds pretty brilliant.

I'd say try making a denim strop, and work with the Barber hone, you'll be popping hairs in no time

Ok, just tried it anchored to my towel rack. I'd say that took away 90% of the problem right there. I had a much more even sound stropping.

But the top did still want to twist a tiny bit. This may be just due to it having been used on that doorknob for a while. I'll give it a rub and try to get it staying straight again. I'm hoping it's not just a natural instability of the way I'm holding it.

I tried stropping away and towards me, like most of you do, and I just can't control my motor movement as well. Whatever I may be doing wrong now, that's going to make it 100 times worse.

If I can't get the it worked out, I'll try table top.

Jeremy - It's a Shumate Electric barber hone. I know nothing at all about it! :tu

I know very little about it too, but I've heard the name Shumate, and never in a bad context, so that's a great start!

Also, for the mildly warmped strop, lay it flat on a table or desk, take a beer, wine, or other glass bottle -perfectly smooth- and rub it firmly top to bottom, bottom to top. Make sure you don't rub with the seam of the bottle... That'll help it smooth

Some folks have had good luck with seat belt material for the fabric component. If you have a junk yard nearby you could try a length of that stuff.

I'm sitting here imagining you stropping from right to left, and I feel this could be part of the problem. Not that you can't keep the razor flat on the leather while making strokes this way, but I don't think this method is one that I would teach. I believe you would better serve your strokes with more control and concistancy by standing with the strop more in line with your body(you would be stroking toward you and away from you). This would, also, help keep your blade more level. I would get a hook from Wal-Mart, or whomever, and mount it either higher or lower than it is now. This way your stroke would be more up and down and close to 90 degrees rather that doing a horizonal 180 degrees.

IMO, I really believe this would help.
(I had difficulty explaining what I meant) I hope you understand what I am saying -

Steve

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MistressNomad

JHmmm, I may make myself a linen strop. I have lots of raw fabric (I make most of my clothes) that I could use.

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If you do decide to sew your own... I just made a linen one with real belfast linen that I picked up in the cross stich supply aisle of a craft store and I am very pleased with the results. Belfast linen was used in at least some of the vintage linen strops, and my resulting strop material looks and feels very similar to the fabric component of an old strop that I have. My first effort was a hollow tube with a sewn seam, which was good but I found the layers could shift about, causing wrinkling. For my next effort I tried a folded affair with the folded layers bonded to each other with silicone. First I ironed the material where I wanted the folds, then applied small diameter (1/8" maybe) jigzag bead of silicone on one side, spread/smoothed the silicone out into a filmy layer a plastic credit card, then pushed the layers together. The linen was thick enough that the silicone doesn't bleed thru. I then let it sit overnight, then puched a hole at one end and installed a grommet to give it a hanging point. Too easy.