Thread: Is It The Blade, or Pilot Error?

Less is often more when learning how to strop. With a freshly honed blade, doing one pass shaves, you can get away with a little light stropping as you get used to it. Then you can start to increase the number on linen and leather as you get a good feel for the edge on the strop and decide what suits. If you develop a nice stropping technique you can strop all day long but when you've only got one sharp blade little but often is a good way to go. I like to strop on leather before the shave and afterwards a few quick laps on linen then leather, in my head the linen cleans and dries up the edge and the leather gives it a quick polish.

Beard preparation and great lather means you have to rely far less on your technique with the razor to avoid irritation and blood. Mantic's lather video might be worth a watch: .
I find if I lather my face before I start stropping, rinse it off when done, and then re lather for the shave it makes a big difference and beats any other pre shave stuff I've tried.