My new strop...

Someone posted pretty much the same thing a few posts down, but I have the same question about my strop. Do I need to condition it or anything before use?

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/817068.htm

Also, I keep hearing that the strop is suppose to be smooth even to the point of having a gloss. Mine is actually somewhat corse, not smooth at all.. its this normal for a new strop? The backside is smooth leather, but with ribs down the back, the top is almost like suede. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

-Billy

Most strops are smooth or nearly so. this is the Illinois "Russian" strop which often has a texture like terrycloth. I have used them as a preliminary step before final stropping on a smooth strop.

I feel they are a fairly specilized strop and most buyers are not aware they will be rough. Sadly none of the vendors ever mention this.


If reasonably smooth. meaning a consistantly even, although somewhat textured surface it should still work fine.

Tony

Tony,

Thank you for the reply, I feel much much better knowing that. Unfortunatly, after stropping my razor and attempting to shave with it, I realised my razor isn't exactly shave ready. I decided to try the little hair test I hear people refer to, and it wouldn't even cut the hair... at all. Im not sure if its my stropping technic or maybe my strop... More than likely my technic... I found myself appling what I felt was "To much" pressure. Can this ruin the edge? Or Maybe I should just keep trying to strop my blade until I find the desired results?

-Billy

Don't get frustrated yet. Straight razor is a strange beast. If the razor is new, most likely it is not shave ready. Consider sending it to someone for establishing a proper bevel. What razor you have?

As for the strop, it will develop glossy finish in time. Daily hand rub will be sufficient for some time...

Nenad

oh, and I can suggest you get Lynn's CD on straight razors. It should be indispensable tool for beginners, and also for more experienced too...

Nenad,

The Razor I purchased is:

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...013/564217.htm


Nothing real fancy, but I figure its enough to do the job for now. I dont expect to be able to get fantastic results, and I half anticipate to lose half of my face in the process, but I'm sort of bull headed and I already got my mind set on using a straight razor lol... and so it begins =P

Do you have any suggestions on sending it off to get a proper bevel established? I think I read something about people here that do honing?

Also, a friend told me to treat my strop with Mineral oil, so I put on a health coat the day I bought it and let it sit over night. I've been assured by a few people this will not hurt it, but I haven't gotten any type of responses as to wether or not his was a good idea or not... Maybe you have some input on that? As far as hand rubbing the strop... this is done by sort of "Kneeding" the strop with the palm of your hand? Thanks in advance.

-Billy

It is unlikely that that razor is shave ready. The bevel should be good, but the edge needs refining. New razors tend to be close, but not quite there.

I used mink oils to condition my strops. The hand rubbing is done by simply holding the strop taut and rubbing your hand along the length.

I'll be happy to bring your razor up to snuff gratis if you like. PM me if you're interested.

X

Xman,

Thanks for the strop info. I'll try to put it to good use. And thank you for the offer on the razor. I think I will try to toy with it a bit more and see if I can get any sort of desirable results out of it a little more before shipping it out, but I have a feeling I might be sending you a message in the short future.

-Billy

Billy, you have an excellent razor there, high on my wanted list:) Hand rub is simly rubbing your palm along the stropping surface 5-6 times before stropping. This (the oils from the skin) should keep the strop in good working condition indefinately. When you feel the strop gets a bit dry and looses it's draw, it is time to apply some sort of strop paste (not mineral oil) and it is applyed sparingly, only couple of dabs. This can be found at classicshaving.com

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/196060.htm

or DOVO's yellow paste. You can also get the white paste to treat the strop linnen.

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/196078.htm

The razor has the needed bevel, but might not be suitable for shaving yet, as it is not tested in the factory for sharpness. Do you have hone yet?

Nenad

Nenad,

No, I dont have a hone yet. I actually have a bid for a CARBORUNDUM razor hone on E-bay, but I dont think Im quite ready to start using a hone yet. I plan on buying another razor here shortly, so I can experiment with one, without having to pick up my mach III after a mishap =P

I actually just left the bathroom, where I have been practicing/experimenting with my strop for the last 20min... I've managed to get it A LOT sharper than it was earlier when I tried to shave with it, but when I took a practice swip over my chin with it, I ended up with about 3 scraps and I felt quite a bit of resistance, so im pretty sure its still not nearly up to snuff... It feels like I get more resistance on the strop when I push the blade away from me, than I do when I pull it towards me.... Im thinking this has something to do with the actual strop, as tony mentioned earlier, I ended up purchasing a strop that is a bit odd. Do you think that it needs to visit a hone before it will get up to par?

-Billy

Billy Billy Billy...
The strop will do absolutely NOTHING to increase the sharpness of the blade unless you put abrasive pastes on it. In any case you'd want a paddle strop for that purpose (especially as a beginner) and you'd need to get an unpasted strop for its real purpose, which is aligning the edge. Hones actually remove the metal thus making the razor sharper. If you want to cheap out, go to www.redtrader99.com and get the starter set of 3 hones from Tilly.

The strop effect:
No matter how fine the edge is, it still has microserrateons, like a saw or a serrated knife. Since the metal there is fairly thin, they'll be very fine, invisible to the naked eye. After a while they go out of alignment on their own and the teeth are pointing in all directions. Stropping will gently bend them into pointing in the same direction. It will not remove any metal, thus not making the edge any sharper.
The hone:
Various hones have various sizes of abrasive particles. As you move your blade over them, they remove the metal, thus sharpening the edge. The larger the particles, the coarser the hone and vice versa. For your blade you would need at least a medium and a fine finishing hone. If I remember it correctly, the hone you are bidding on is medium grit, but I'm not 100% sure. In any case you'll need a fine finisher like the Lithide (cheapest alternative).
Pasted strops:
These strops are either hanging or paddle strops, with abrasive pastes on them. These pastes actually remove the metal. A paddle strop is easier to work with, so people usually do not put abrasive pastes on hanging strops. They are used for fine finishing and touchups. However if your razor will not shave, it means it needs some work on the hone before taking it to a pasted strop, which you can buy from Tony Miller at www.thewellshavedgentleman.com. They will make your shaves more comfortable.

The reason you are feeling more draw in one direction is that that side of the edge was polished more (honed better) so it is sticking to the leather more.

I hope this info helps.

FireStart,

Yes, your information was helpful and as always, ever little bit of advice is always appreciated. As you said, Stroping isn't really making the blade sharper, but it is making it perform better... Maybe I should have worded my previous post better. After practicing and experimenting with the strop I got the razor to the point where it would actually cut a free standing hair, but I still dont find it to be suitable for shaving. I think when I first tried to use the strop I applyed to much pressure. Is the damage caused by this something that can be fixed with stroping? Or is it something than needs to go to the hone?

Sorry, I have a ton of questions lol.

-Billy

Billy, if the blade wasn't pre-honed by a honemeister, then it wasn't sharp enough to begin with. If it was, then you might have damaged it and need to take it to the hone.

Billy, your blade is probably best to be sent at someone who will hone it for you. I suggest you take X's offer, and start with properly honed blade. And I strongly suggest you buy a Shavette type razor, like the DOVO's on classicshaving page, to get the moves, thechnique and the feel for straight razor. It will be usefull on travels later on... And do a lots of reading trough the honing and stroping forum here, as well as the files in the help galery


Nenad

Ok, I think I will be shooting X a PM. Thanks for all the help guys.


Billy Jay

A Carborundum hone is almost always either a coarse or medium hone. Either a 1000 or 2000 grit respectively. Most are 1000 grit or coarser. They are seldom used for honing.
Be sure to send your razor out to be honed. You will be amazed at the difference.