Thread: Stropping feels like its going to get expensive

So this afternoon I just did my second straight razor shave. That part went okay, a couple of tiny nicks on my face, but no big deal.

But stropping is turning out to be way harder than I anticipated. I have a SRD strop, and having stropped twice now I am in need of a new leather piece. I have nicked it at least a half a dozen times.

I really have a problem keeping my hand steady when flipping the razor over, and I end up moving it the wrong way when I fist place the razor against the strop.

I also have a very inconsistent stroke, which isn't terribly surprising I guess, since I've been doing it for all of 48 hours, but it is frustrating.

I've read the wiki and watched all the stropping videos I could find, but it looks like I am going to have a pretty long learning curve on this one.

How many strops did you guys go through while learning to do it proficiently?

Everyone nicks their strop now and again. If I bought a strop for every time I nicked one I would be neck deep in strops and stone broke.

Lets see some pictures so that we may advise you.

Don't worry too much about the nicks. As JMS notes, every strop is going to get a few. As long as they are not gouges in the leather you can sand them out with some fine sandpaper.

As for stropping...Try practicing your technique with a butter knife or some other non-sharp knife from your kitchen. That should help you learn/develop the feel for proper stropping technique.

Originally Posted by JMS

Lets see some pictures so that we may advise you.

I suppose I should have thought of that one. Here you go!





Sorry about the poor quality of my pictures. My camera does not do very well up close.

I have a total of 10 nicks on my first strop, none overly detrimental to the razor or the strop. I bought that strop about 15 years ago now. My advice is to take it real slow, practise stropping like your practicing Tai Chi. Once you have the flow of movements starting to take hold in your memory and muscles, slowly build up the speed.
When I started I had nothing to learn from, no You-Tube, no SRP, no old barbers. All I had was the memory of some old black and white cowboy movie barbers stropping (Not the best example of correct technique). From that I was able to take it slowly (after intially going flat out with bugger all tension on the strop) and learn using a bit of common sense and observation of the causes of a couple of nicks when I got over confident.


Mick

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.

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.

The worst cuts that I have were mostly from flipping the razor over. I came to a complete stop, but when I flipped the razor over, it cut into the material. I was probably moving it a bit without knowing.

I think I am going to try and practice with a butter knife like somebody suggested.

Originally Posted by funklab

The worst cuts that I have were mostly from flipping the razor over. I came to a complete stop, but when I flipped the razor over, it cut into the material. I was probably moving it a bit without knowing.

I think I am going to try and practice with a butter knife like somebody suggested.

Coming to a complete stop is a recipe for disaster. If the edge is always following the spine you can't cut the strop. It's like stropping Tai Chi, constantly flowing

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Coming to a complete stop is a recipe for disaster. If the edge is always following the spine you can't cut the strop. It's like shaving Tai Chi, constantly flowing

You mean all this time I knew tai chi?

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.

Took the words right out of my mouth mate.
Start moving then lay the edge down, lift the edge up before finishing moving. Cant go wrong.

What a brilliant idea