Thread: Stropping feels like its going to get expensive

And that's far better than taking the art of Sun-Tsu to the strop, I'm sure!


Mick

The nicks on your strop, pictured, are no big deal. This is likely a case of your fear causing greater problems. Just relax and keep the blade moving. All you need to do is practice turning the razor at the correct moment in time. That moment is before you get to the end of the stroke. Then land the edge of the razor on the strop after the razor begins moving in the opposite direction.

Stated another way, the razor only touches down on the strop when you have a commited motion and direction. The edge NEVER touches the strop anywhere near the turn/flip.

I've done the same, but your damage isn't too bad as it looks like it's at the ends of the leather. Worst case sand down and/or cement, then re oil to salvage the leather.

I also got a cheap strop to practice on till I'm worthy of my SRP beauty

My advice is to learn the technique before applying it at speed, muscle memory should kick in at some point.

I'd like to recommend not stopping at the end of the stroke before turning the razor up; rather, begin to turn the razor edge up before finishing the stroke and stopping the stroke with the edge up. With this technique any movement of the razor can't result in damage to the strop as only the blunt spine is in contact with the leather. When the return stroke is started then the edge of the raxzor is brought down into contact with the strop. You are now always moving the razor's edge away from the strop when it's moving and thus cannot nick the leather.

good luck, good shaving

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Put the spine down first then start moving just before the edge contacts the strop.
Start the flip well before you reach the end of the strop & change direction as the edge begins to land. You should be able to practice that slowly without any hesitation cuts.

+1 on this technique. You will continue to nick until you do this slow and get your muscle memory to lift the edge (not the spine) BEFORE you stop, flip and then start the return stroke BEFORE you set the edge back down.

If not - what happens is when you try to stop the stroke to get ready for the flop, your hand can do a little jerk and the edge digs into the strop. If you flip and set the edge down you can still be in the forward stroke and nick the strop.

What onimaru55 says should be followed - slowly - speed will build with time - maybe 2 weeks or so.

Your strop does not look bad at all. And I would not replace anything until you can go several months without a nick. You will only spend money and frustrate yourself.

I am new to the stropping game as well, and had the exact same problem you are having (started stropping on my new strop and started putting nicks at both ends). I was worried that I would go through my first strop rather quickly.

Here is what I discovered. The original way I held the razor was wrong and it was causing me to make nicks when I tried to flip the razor over. I was holding the razor with my thumb on the back of the tang and my pointer finger underneath of it, meaning if I held the razor out in front of me, my thumb would be pointed right down the spine. When I would flip, there would be a slight moment where, if I was still making a small motion, I'd catch the razor at one of the far edges and put a little nick in the strop.

My solution was to reverse my grip...i.e., flip the razor over in my hand. Now I hold it with my thumb on the bottom of the tang (blade pointed up toward me) and my index finger under the top of the tang). Then, I use my thumb to achieve the slight "flipping" motion that allows you to pick up a little speed and never make a nick when you flip the razor over. I'm still a novice for sure, but that was what I learned.

Check out the last couple of pages of the 1961 barber manual excerpt here. It is a PDF from the SRP Wiki help files on honing and stropping. I would recommend their suggestion of practicing the flipping without doing the stroke.

I used to hod the razor with the end of my thumbpad on the bottom of the tang and the first joint of my forefinger on top of the tang. When I changed to the tip of the thumbpad on the bottom of the tang and the tip of the forefinger on the top of the tang I found my feel for the pressure improved.

There are odd shaped tangs that require a different grip but most will work well with the above mentioned hold. Here is another way to deal with nicks in a 3" strop.

I don't own a straight razor yet but I've sharpened plenty of kitchen knives and really you have to start out very slow and put proper technique into your muscle memory before you try going at all quickly. When you're new to anything it's awkward, just go slow and patiently and before you know it you'll be stropping like a pro.

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

I'm with MickR on this one: take it slow and easy.
The "butterknife" idea is good, too.

May I suggest:
1) position the razor on the strop, making sure that
the edge is in full contact
2) make the stroke, using very light pressure on the
edge....and STOP
3) flip the razor over, and repeat #1...STOP again
4) the idea is, don't move the razor until it is
properly positioned...then do the stroke.

The stroke itself can be fairly rapid, as long as even,
light pressure is maintained. Just make a conscious
effort to STOP at the end of the stroke, before
flipping. Don't move until the position is "good".

Good luck. And BTW, I trashed my first strop, too,
so don't feel too bad.

I received from a friend a very nice antique razor, after reading a tutorial on honing it on a stone, I read the method you posted about stropping as quoted, the end result of both tutorials did the trick. I'm sporting a nice close shave smooth as my rump the day I was born. Thanks for posting that! Lots of great information on this site.

I think I am going to really enjoy this razor.

-Dennis