Thread: Strop before or after shower?

I have noticed that when I strop after the shower rather than before, because of the steamy bathroom the draw on the strop seems a little grippier (Illinois Russian Leather). I assume this is the moisture collecting on the leather, or raising the grain. Is it a good thing, bad thing, or no functional difference besides feel?

Personally, I wouldn't store the strop in the bathroom. I did with my first strop, and (I believe) the changes in humidity caused the strop to cup. At the moment, I hang my strop on the outside doorknob to my bathroom. The razors I plan to shave with also sit just outside the bathroom to avoid getting the condensation on them. It's my stropping/staging/photography area, so having all that stuff in one place works for me.

I have been storing the strop in a closet clipped to a hanger, but I bring it into the bathroom when I shower. This is mainly so my gf and roommate don't accidentally do something to it. I will try and find a better solution somewhere else then.

I don't know if this will help or not, but I do all of my stropping the night before, completely taking bringing the strop into the bathroom out of the equation. I also find that stropping at night brings me to a nice relaxed, zen state before bed.

I'm aware I should store my strop somewhere other than the humid climate of a bathroom, but I don't. It's right there hanging on the towel rack. I always strop before the shower, because as you've stated the draw is off and the strop is slick. This may make some cringe, but I blow dry my strop if it gets shower steam on it and I need to strop. I don't recommend my methods, but they work well for me.

I've been storing mine in the bathroom on the towel rack as well. I think I may change that after reading this post!

But I always strop BEFORE I take a shower, simply because I like to go right from the shower and into the shave! Since stropping takes me a few minutes to do, I don't want to waste that time and have my face start to dry out from the shower. So I typically hop out of the shower and begin making the lather to apply for shaving.

I store mine in the BR too. I always strop before showering, but umm, I always shave before showering. I'm a messy face latherer..

I keep my strop in the bathroom, but it doesn't get humid in there so I'm not worried about that. As far as stropping goes I do it after I shower, giving time for the pre-shave cream or oil to soak in.

I lather up and then strop. It gives the lather a chance to work on the whiskers.

My strop seems to have gotten a little stiff after being in the bathroom. Its in a nice dry place now, but how can I get it back like new? I heard that you can use neatsfoot oil? How do you even apply it?