Thread: stropping?

So I have some razors and I have almost perfected my honing strokes like the rolling x. But now I'm reading about stropping and I don't know anything about it really. I mean I have a piece of felt like material i strop kitchen knives on to help debur, although I don't really use it anymore because I'm lazy and figured out I can do the same thing by hitting a fine stone the right way.

Anyway I was wondering if theres a special technique for stropping smiling blades because I like the swedish blades with a big smile. And how good of a stop do I need and how much will it cost?

I use the "rolling X" when I strop my smiling blades . If you know how to strop , and don't think you will damage the strop , then get a good one . Straight Razor Designs (SRD) have some nice ones . If you don't want to spend a lot of money , Jemico , Dovo , and Illinois are an option . There are also economy starter strops that are sold by some of the vendors , here , and you can check the classifieds , too .

If you always trail a blade on a strop, you shouldn't have a problem with damaging it. My suggestion is to start with a cheaper strop to develop your technique and to see if stropping is really for you. If it is, graduate to a better strop. By "better" I mean a piece of horsehide either new or vintage and not necessarily with any of the fancy furniture that drives cost up but provides no functional advantage. If you want a fancy one just for the looks, by all means get one as they're a joy to look at and have hanging around.

Originally Posted by Howard

If you always trail a blade on a strop, you shouldn't have a problem with damaging it. My suggestion is to start with a cheaper strop to develop your technique and to see if stropping is really for you. If it is, graduate to a better strop. By "better" I mean a piece of horsehide either new or vintage and not necessarily with any of the fancy furniture that drives cost up but provides no functional advantage. If you want a fancy one just for the looks, by all means get one as they're a joy to look at and have hanging around.

Whats the alternative to stropping?

Using a shavette?

I find giving the strop a bit of slack will help to keep those big ol' smilers in contact with the leather at all times when stropping. Works a charm.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I find giving the strop a bit of slack will help to keep those big ol' smilers in contact with the leather at all times when stropping. Works a charm.

+1 to this...I give a bit of slack to everything. I also tend to use exaggerated X patterns to hit all the places on a smile.

Works for me.

A technique that I shown by my old barber was, before each shave, make 3 passes on a barbers hone. Then gently make a few stropping passes on the palm of your hand to smooth it out.

Originally Posted by peg20

Using a shavette?

Don't be ridiculous

No offense to the OP, but no one thought it was wierd that he perfected the honing technique, but not stropping.....? or did I miss something...Usually it's the other way around....How do you learn how to hone a razor, moreover, perfect it, but not know how to strop....?

+1 to Ryan82, I too keep a bit of slack when I strop. I don't pull mine taught, I find I get better contact leather to steel, and a better final result....