Thread: Counting stropping strokes

I've seen various recommendations on how many times to stop a blade before and after use. But here's a really basic question -- when someone says "10 strokes", does that mean 10 "round trips" (10 passes per side), or 10 movements (5 passes per side)?

Good question I suppose - I've always understood it to be a "lap", i.e. back + forth = 1 stroke, or as you put it, a 'round trip'.

+1

Up and Down=1stroke.

I used to count every stroke (ie if I want 50 strokes I count each motion making it 100) but lately I've just been counting my up strokes

2,4,6,8,10,2,4,6,8,20... which makes me wonder why I don't say 1,2,3,4,5---50. For some reason this just works better for me, must be my OCD and disdain for odd numbers.

Cheers and happy stropping

I've always counted backwards from 100 so I know when to stop. It seems to me that when I get to 0 that means not to strop, so I stop there. I once went past 0 to -1 and realized that by doing so I might be dulling the blade.

YMMV, I usually do 50 mesh fabric/50 leather then shave, if I think it needs a bit more I go back to the fabric and drop down 10 laps on each (40/40), usually that second trip is all it needs, if it needs a third I grab another razor, finish shaving, and take it to 10 on 10k TI diamond paste and 15 on Crox on linen paddle strop, then back to 50/50 on mesh and leather. enjoy the addiction ha ha ha!

Originally Posted by ace

I've always counted backwards from 100 so I know when to stop. It seems to me that when I get to 0 that means not to strop, so I stop there. I once went past 0 to -1 and realized that by doing so I might be dulling the blade.

Haha! I wonder what happens if you divide by zero?

For me one stroke is a round trip .... IOW up and back = 1. YMMV ......

Never count anything,after a time you develope a cadence,your cadence may extrapolate into 50 strokes a minute,your mind knows what a minute is, than you stop.you may be between 46/54 strokes,Shave.