Pro. Honers

Hi all,

So I took up shaving a few months ago with a couple of razors I bought here on the classifieds. So far I've run into two issues I was hoping you could help me with:

1) I keep nicking my strop. One strop got so nicked I chucked it, the second is now at half-length. Part of me wonders whether it's because I bought cheap shit strops to begin with, but like most starving grad students, I'm in no place to be hunting expensive leather. What am I likely to be doing wrong, and is there a way to extend the useful lifespan of a strop after you've nicked it? One website said to take very find sand paper, cut off the flap, and sand down the remainder of the nick, but that appears to create a rough grain on the leather that can't possibly be good for stropping.

2) Can anyone recommend a razor sharpener that I could send my razors out to, for honing? Someone mentioned this usually costs something on the order of $15/razor, which compared to the prices I see for sharpening stones even in the classifieds here is just... worlds apart. I'd like to learn to hone, but the up-front cost is still overwhelming (although, you don't have to convince me, I know that buying the stones and honing for myself for a lifetime works out much cheaper in the long-term). Or perhaps an honemeister in the Boston or NYC areas (I'm usually in one or the other) that might help me out for a cup of good coffee?

If you are nicking the strop it's a problem with your technique not the strop itself, Cheap strops aren't always bad (Check out whipped dog's poor mans strop kit, inexpensive, works great and comes with everything you need to strop and touch up a razor)

the only way a strop an get nicked is if you turn the blade over too fast at a bad angle and dig it in, or strop blade first instead of spine first.

My advice? when stropping, slow down, take it VERY slowly and make sure you slowly flip the razor over on the SPINE ONLY, take it slow and work on the technique (Don't worry about speed, that will come later) focus on building the muscle memory to make the stropping smooth (also, NO pressure, just the weight of the razor and the strop should be held taught but not tight)

As for the honing, look in the classified section, Lynn and Gssixgun and a few others offer honing services, they do amazing work

Miedvied,
Welcome to the club. To this day, strops run screaming when I enter a room. I sucked at it, acheiving 5 dead strops in only a few months.

Yes, you can resurrect strops w/ sanding, etc, but it would seem most important to get to the bottom of WHY they're getting butchered. As a vetted butcher, a few things were big hitters for my career in strop butchery.
1) I didn't know the edge should be lifted from the strop surface BEFORE completing the stroke. I thought I could/should be able to do a 'dead' stop.
2) Tiny shanks in big hands. Keeping a light touch on the strop surface required I keep a light grip on the shank. When the spine on a small razor got traction/friction on a high-draw leather, it would flip over and savor (and sever) the bovid goodness.
3) Small razors are easier - all around to butcher strops with.
4) Hi-draw leather can grab a spine and flip the blade over.

When I strop a small blade now, I am just paranoid, using extra care. I've offered enough sacrifices to the capricious gods of stropping.

Lots of guys hone. PM me if you'd like to risk a non-pro for only postage cost.

You might try out a paddle-strop until you get the rythm down. Look at the classified's for someone to hone your razor, but you may also consider a barbers hone to touch up the blades yourself.

Click on the "community" tab above and look at the map...you may have someone within driving distance who is versed in the stones to show you a few things.

Practice stropping with a butter knife until you get the proper technique. That way your mistakes won't cost you. Until then try laying your strop on the counter top to strop. And as the other members said, slow down, there is no hurry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pinklather

Lots of guys hone. PM me if you'd like to risk a non-pro for only postage cost.

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Take Robert up on his offer. His edges are smooooth. :)

And he's a nice guy to boot. :D

Thanks fellas. Pink, you definitely pointed out a couple of errors I was making. I was trying to draw the blade to a dead stop before flipping. I just found a youtube video by afdavis (110103-194239.wmv - YouTube) from SRP who also shows the blade should already be moving in the new direction before it touches down - I didn't know that, either. I was going to a complete stop, and now that I think on it, that's definitely where I was making my nicks. I'm not sure if my blades are "small" - I don't have enough of a general familiarity for reference.

Doughboy, I actually did start with a butter knife, but apparently I was practicing with a mistaken idea of what "correct" was. I had even watched a few videos about stropping before, but everyone always focuses on making the "X" movement & flipping on the shank, and today was the first time I heard about the timing of the flip. It definitely looks like that's where I was making my error.


Robert, I'll certainly take you up on your kind offer, and I appreciate it a great deal. I'll PM you about an address.


You know, the thing that always amazes me, is that I always hear about my departed maternal grandfather stropping his knife on whatever was underhand (his scratched up belt, for instance), never honing at all, and getting by just fine. I still don't know whether there are details missing, whether he had a crap shave, or whether my mother just didn't know enough about shaving to miss out on the subtleties of what he was doing.

I do not have my PHA(Professional Honing Association) card yet, but I am hoping to qualify for H school soon.