Thread: How often to strop?

I guess I'm in the minority here as I don't strop after I shave. All I do is rinse and wipe off the blade. Then hit the pivot area with compressed air to make sure it's dry. After that it is just a quick dip in alcohol and some oil. Haven't had a problem yet.

Everyone strops after they shave. It's impossible to avoid it, by definition. If someone strops before they shave, they are necessarily stropping after the last shave. There is no way to avoid it except by never stropping at all. If someone strops after they shave, they are also by definition stropping before their next shave. If someone strops before they shave and after they shave, they are essentially double stropping without reason because the stropping before the shave would be the same as stropping after the last shave. From a mathematical and logical point of view, there is no reason to strop before the shave if one stropped after the last shave because it has already essentially been done. Further, if one strops before the shave, then it is not true that he doesn't strop after the shave, because he has already done the shave and is now stropping after it.

Read the wiki thread Obie posted. Proper stropping technique will prepare and maintain your delicate edge. The key word is "proper". It does take some practice. Be patient and have fun.
Mike

Originally Posted by str8fencer

Stropping is daily maintenance, and I am under the impression most strop both before and after a shave. The before-the-shave ensures the edge is at it's best, while the after-the-shave stropping makes sure all the moisture is off the blade. I usually strop 10 times on a linen and 30-40 times on leather before a shave and 10-15 on leather afterwards.
With pasted strops it's a totally different thing. I'll use that only once the razor shows signs of edge deteriation, perhaps after 5 shaves or so. A few laps, 6-10 maybe, is usually enough. This is dependent upon what paste or strop you use. As always, YMMV.
Hope this helps.

+1

With the exception if a new shave ready razor strop prior to shaving.

Some days I also strop in the middle of a shave for the last pass.

A strop does a couple of things... one of which
is remove micro bits of rust from the edge and the other
is to straighten and align the edge. Some days I also
add "work hardens" the edge too.

A strop also has strop dressing that in addition to keeping the
leather soft it wipes a thin layer of oil on the razor that
protects the edge.

A new shave ready razor will often be lightly coated with
a protective oil after it has been stropped. For a beginner
the risk of dulling the edge a bit is too common so it is
recommended to just rinse and shave.

Have fun...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

About 20 licks after the shave and 50-60 licks before the shave, always.

I second this wholeheartedly!