Thread: Help Stropping

Hi Everyone,

I'm somewhat new to the Straight Razor world. I've always had an interest tin them and have done some research on different kinds of straight razors. I find them very intriguing and quite fascinating. I've been shaving with a straight razor for two months now and but have been having a hard time keeping a good edge on my razor. I was hoping to get some help and tips on good technique when stropping. I am using a Chicago 127 Strop but am afraid I may have already ruined it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

First of all welcome!

Good stropping technique is very important when shaving. You should keep the razor flat on the strop, using minimal pressure, and strop in a smooth back and forth motion with the spine leading. If you don it with the edge leading you'll wreck the strop and dull the razor, so dont do that...!

Have a look at this section of the Wiki on stropping.

What do you mean when you say you've ruined the strop? Have you sliced it? If so, this can usually be repaired as long as the damage isnt too bad. Pics of your strop would be useful to assess the damage?

Try practicing with a butter knife as well, to get used to the motion. Once you're happy, try it with your razor and hopefully you'll get much better results!

Good luck and keep us posted!

What helped me is to slow down and watch the EXACT time I started to lift the blade at the end of the stroke, and the exact time I lowered the blade on the way into the next stroke (either direction applies here).

You keep the spine of the razor on the strop at ALL times. So it is imparitive you understand the timing of the lifting and lowering of the edge. If you don't time this right, you will nick the strop - no if, ands or buts about it.

So, what I trained my finger tips to do is to start the lift just before the end of the stroke, and then, not lower it back until I started the opposite stroke. This took over a month to get the muscle memory in my hands to do this automatically. If you actually saw me strop, the lifting and lowering of the edge is so fast and smooth that it is undetectable as to when it is actually taking place. But it does take place when I am telling you. I refused to replace my nicked up strop until I could do this for 2 months with no nicks.

That is the best way I can explain it. I hope it helps.

David

Without knowing what kit you have it is difficult to answer this.I agree with stubear regarding the stropping etc but after 2 months of shaving it is also possible that the razor needs a "touch up" on a hone .You can either send it away to be re-honed or take care of your own razor by buying a hone from the classifieds in this site or the web.
I bought a hone 10K (this puts the edge back on the razor) and a jewellers loupe x10 magnification when i first started -(this gives an excellent view of the condition of the razor's edge and any damage ie rolled edge ,small dings,chips etc).
Of course it is down to you to decide as a hone does cost a reasonable amount-the loupe is quite cheap in comparison but you will regain the cost after a year or so of honing your own razor imo.
Welcome to SRP!
Regards

Noggs

I had a Dovo Tortoise as my first staight razor and after the 7th shave, it just wasn't sharpening up as much as I needed it to by stropping alone. So, I then purchased a 4 sided pasted paddle strop with Chrom Ox. 3.0/1.0/.50 on three sides and a few passes on that did the trick for this razor, which is also considered a beginning razor.

The Tortoise shaved well and was forgiving, but it always needed a few passes on the pasted strop to get back into shape after a few shaves.

It is possible that a light honing is what you need and this is where the pasted paddle strop comes in handy for all of my straight razors.

Others may use touch up hones in lieu of a pasted paddle strop.

Good Luck,

Pabster

Your not alone on stroping, i too am struggling to get a edge.

Hi technika1

Originally Posted by technika1

Your not alone on stroping, i too am struggling to get a edge.

Firstly-was your razor purchased as "shave ready"?-If not then have it honed-if yes then your stropping needs to be reviewed.
Check that you are following instructions in the wiki.
Stick with it-go slowly at first to make sure the spine is on the leather at all times-build up speed as you improve and get the feel of the draw.
Are you doing enough strokes-approx 50/70 strokes is about right.
Hope this helps
Regards

Noggs

I, too use to find stopping a hard thing to do, and still, after almost a year, find myself getting a little too comfortable and lifting the spine. When I do that I slow down, and think about what I am doing.

+1 to the very light pressure. I like the saying, if you thing you are applying light pressure, you're applying too much pressure. I try to put as much pressure as I would if I were afraid I was going to tear through the strop, so you can imagine how little pressure I use, and it seems to maintain the edge just fine.

and let us know how it goes!

I also have found it very benefitial to strop in the evening. Many days I'm slightly rushed in the morning, and I found that concentrating on the strop was a difficult task while still thinking about getting out the door on time.

I began to strop in the evening, which allowed me complete concentration, and ample time to make sure I was completing each pass perfectly. After a couple of months, I was able to begin in the mornings again, but after a short time I realized that I thoroughly enjoyed my evening strop sessions and returned to them. As with advice from Noggs and Stubear, spine leading at all times, and train your fingers and wrist correctly the first time. I still don't go very quickly, but each stroke is done well.

Have fun,
Maxi

Stropping can be difficult, but I usually advise people, especially novices, to start with a shave ready blade from one of our honemeisters. Shave with it without touching it to a strop. Now you have something to compare the rest of your shaves to. If comfort goes downhill fast you need to check your stopping technique. Unless you start with a gold standard you have no idea what you've got or what you are doing.