Thread: Strop Conditioning Question.

So everything I have read tends to say that all one needs to do is rub the natural oil of your palm before stropping until it feels warm for conditioning. I however have fairly dry skin, and wash my hands frequently as well. I was wondering if what I have already been doing is acceptable. Currently I just squirt a drop of Art of Shaving Pre-shave oil in my hand and rub my palms together then do the normal process with both hands. I can not imagine this being bad or excessive, but I am curious.

If you do that once a week you might be close to the right amount. I'm like you, dryish skin and, I dunno, six handwashings a day? If I've just washed my hands and remember the strop didn't have as much draw as I like, I'll rub my nose then transfer that to the strop. You only want to add very small amounts of oil or you can change how the strop behaves. More oily = more draw, or more resistance to the blade sliding along the leather. Not what you'd expect, but there you are.

If you've got an old, old strop from an antique store or something, then more extreme measures might be called for. For a new one, though, there's probably plenty of oil in it as it is.

That's my experience/opinion, anyway.

Best wishes.

Thanks, and yes that is counter intuitive. I guess it does make since though being that the leather becomes saturated.

+1 to roughkype's advice with the additional note that he is (I hope) talking about rubbing the outside of his nose, not the... oh well, you know what I mean.

I'm no strop expert at all but this approach has worked fine for me during the several years when I have shaved with a straight. I had, until recently, only one strop and the only 'treatment' it ever received was an occasional rub of the palm.

ECD, you'll find the threads on new strops recommend palm rubbing *before* washing hands. Roughkype's suggestions are good ones. If you shave after a shower, perhaps do your stropping before the shower - before removing all the skin oils. The newer strops - especially the more value oriented strops can benefit from alot of palm rubbing before they see a blade. My last 3 got 3k strokes before the first blade. With that conditioning, even the lowliest strops can perform like a costly one.
Bottom line is that if your edges and shaves are good - whatever you're doing is working - believe your face. If edges degrade quickly, perhaps some time w/ the threads on stropping. Glen's 3/11 beginner's tips thread is outstanding. I was horrible at stropping. 'Ate 5 strops and usually dulled my edges. It'll get alot better, and your face will know about the improvement.

Not that it's germane particularly but when I smoked a pipe, used to wipe the bowl on the outside of my nose. Really brought a shine. Good source of natural oils.

I only use a strop dressing after nick repair, once a year if I'm lucky. Otherwise, palm-rub before the shower.