for the Experts

I have a question, first I have only been shaving with a straight razor for 4 weeks. Started with a shavette, and then got a Boke king cutter. I have a board strop with leather on one side and I guess it is a fabric or different type of leather on the other. Before I shave I have been stroping the leather only for about 30 to 35 times. I have been shaving with the boke for about 8 times, but the other day I went to the shavette and I could tell the difference. The Shavette was smoother. So I know that I am not getting a good edge on the razor
So now: should I be using the fabric (?) first to strop and then go to the leather…The Boke is from srd, so I know it has been honed. How many times of the Fabric and then on the leather..

Let me start by saying I am not expert... However having brought your razor from SRD i'm sure it has a great edge... Firsly 30 - 35 passes on your strop in my opinion is not enough. Before a shave I myself make close to 100 passes. Your strop may have a linen side to it, this non leather side is to clean the razor edge. (Experts... Please correct me if I am wrong) Of course the leather side is to align the edge ready for a shave. Providing your stropping technique is good and you haven't rounded off the razor edge, then a good 10 minute strop should bring that edge back... Lastly try to only concentrate on the leather side of your strop only until your sure of your technique, if you aren't already... But i'm a novice myself and have only been straight shaving for 6 months... So take note from the true veterans of this art as they are a wealth of knowledge...

Happy shaving

30/60 linen/leather is about the average number that seems to work for most on the strops. Dont compare the shavette to a true straight...different angles etc. are used. Give it some time and focus on those angles and your technique and you'll find a true straight is much smoother:)

30 - 50 round trips on the strop should be sufficient. Strop first on the fabric component, then again on the leather.

I'd chime in w/ nun2sharp, generally, but I do strop WAY more than most sane people. An edge that's in good shape - the 30-50 count might be fine. If it were getting dull, I'd probably give it 70 strokes on 2 sheets of newsprint that are backed by a HARD surface, such as a hone, pc of plate glass or polished floor tile. Then 100 linen, 100 high-draw leather, 100 low draw leather (like horsehide, shell, etc). When the edge is degraded, it needs remediation before the lessor stropping regimen can work.
PM me if you need a touch up.

I do about 60 on my leather strop before shaving, and then another 60 after.

Could be a couple problems: Not enough stropping. Improper stopping that rolled the edge. Was not sharp in the first place. Your technique of copying what you are doing with a Shavette with a straight razor.

You might send it to Lynn or one of the other honemeisters here and have it sharpened shave ready, and try that vs your shavette. Try it before stropping so you know you are not messing up the edge in your stropping...

what is the fabric suppose to do before the strop

I have leather on one side and a rough leather on the other, I assume that rough leather is what you are calling linen. So 30 on the rough and 60 on the leather . Another question what is the purpose of the rough leather.

Linen is not rough leather. There is debate over the use of linen whether it helps or hurts an edge. There is no debate on the rough leather side. Don't use it. The finished, smooth side is the only one you should use for stropping. Linen is optional in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by Gammaray

Linen is not rough leather. There is debate over the use of linen whether it helps or hurts an edge. There is no debate on the rough leather side. Don't use it. The finished, smooth side is the only one you should use for stropping. Linen is optional in my opinion.

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Then what would the rough leather be used for if anything :-)

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Originally Posted by JimBob

Then what would the rough leather be used for if anything :-)

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The rough side is just ‘unfinished’ just like the inside of a leather belt. Also, a cowhide is ‘split’ in half these days and the inner layer is used to make ‘collagen’ ‘casings’ for sausages!

There is no reason for a manufacturer to spend time and resources on finishing something that really doesn’t need it!

I do have a Vintage Strop that is finished on both sides, but they are finished differently.

I'm new and maybe several shaves + stropping sessions isn't much to comment by, but I have found a cheap basic leather only strop to work fine so far. I've paid very careful attention to my stropping and followed mainly the advice from the stropping videos on this website. If it's anything to go by, I'd recommend giving those videos a watch if you haven't :)

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Originally Posted by JimBob

Then what would the rough leather be used for if anything :-)

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The rough side of the strop is not used for anything, except where some may rarely adhere a linen layer. However, I have never seen this done. Most of the best strops come with a separate hanging linen with the finished leather piece. Enjoy.

Guess I'm lazy. I only do 20 strokes before shaving. And maybe 20 afterwards for cleaning. But the razor stays sharp enough for shaving.