Thread: Cutting hands while stropping?

Hello,

This is my third thread on my first day. Guess I have a lot of questions.

I saw videos on how to strop. My profession is a concert performing guitarist and composer. So my hands are my livelihood.

How common is it for someone to cut their hand(s) while stropping?

Any ideas on modifying the technique to minimize this risk?

For all the years I have been straight razor shaving I have not once cut my hand while stropping. Usually one cuts their hand while restoring a blade or inattention while opening or closing the straight. Day dreaming and thinking about what you are going to do next or where you need to be instead of paying attention to the task at hand is a quick way to get cut.
Shaving with a straight razor and all the tasks surrounding your shave require the utmost attention...The blade demands attention and will let you know quickly if if you aren't paying attention. That being said most cuts are minor things...

Thanks,
By the way, I love Ramona. I just moved from La Costa.

Originally Posted by July10newbie

Thanks,
By the way, I love Ramona. I just moved from La Costa.

I have a couple of customers in La Costa.
Whereabouts are you now?

Been doing this off and on over 30 yrs, haven't cut myself yet.... stropping.

I'm in Idyllwild. I am buying a blade and supplies tomorrow. I will order a strop online for $20 and wait 10 days to get it. Should I delay shaving until I get the strop?

Originally Posted by July10newbie

I'm in Idyllwild. I am buying a blade and supplies tomorrow. I will order a strop online for $20 and wait 10 days to get it. Should I delay shaving until I get the strop?

.......Yes

The worst cut I ever got from a straight was when I was cleaning one and caught my thumb on the edge.

I've never cut myself stropping, but not paying attention when stropping can result in a nicked strop! The cuts when shaving tend to be pretty minor and easy to close up with a styptic pencil.

And yes, wait until you have your strop before you start to shave.

Originally Posted by July10newbie

I'm in Idyllwild. I am buying a blade and supplies tomorrow. I will order a strop online for $20 and wait 10 days to get it. Should I delay shaving until I get the strop?

While us seasoned straight shavers would never think of shaving without stropping first, to beginner of the sport I sometimes recommend shaving several times before stropping. Rolling the edge on a strop is a common newbie problem that will ruin the edge on your razor. Also, your technique will be so far off that stropping may not make much of a difference at first.

If you are concerned with cutting your hands while stropping (which I have not hear of yet) use slow strokes until you get comfortable. Soe people even practice stropping with a butter knife to get the strokes down w/o cutting the strop up.

If you are concerned with cutting your hands while stropping (which I have not hear of yet) use slow strokes until you get comfortable. Soe people even practice stropping with a butter knife to get the strokes down w/o cutting the strop up.[/QUOTE]

+1
If you have the manual dexterity and hand eye coordination to be a professional musician, stropping a razor should not be a big leap. Just like if you screw up on a tune, keep going no one will know the difference, well almost. Get a cheap strop to practice on Go slow, practice and get to it.
Have a nice day