Hello,

I have a question about what appears to be a residue left on my razor after stropping.

I have been using a straight razor to shave for about three months. As I am only a beginner, I followed the general advice here and got a cheap beater of a strop (which was a good thing as it quickly earned a few nicks). It is a Pakistan-made "Scalpmaster."
Amazon.com: Scalpmaster Barber Strop: Health & Personal Care

I know that this is an inferior strop, and once I get the money, I plan to purchase a new strop from SRD. In the meantime, I have noticed that after post-shave stropping, a fine (needle thin) line of brown is left on the edge of the blade and along the edge of the spine of my razors.

1. I am certain this is not rust. After my last pass, I always rinse the blade in hot water, then dry with a towel followed by tissue paper. After this, I leave the strop open away from the sink so that it can dry while I rinse my face, apply aftershave, etc.

2. The line of brown appears only after stropping and I am fairly certain I am stropping correctly. I've followed the various tips here, and there has been no problem with the sharpness of my blades over the last three months.

3. I have not treated the strop with anything.

Does anyone have an idea what's going on with this strop residue? Thank you.