Thread: Is my Strop okay?

I am extremely new to this kind of shaving ( just shaved for the first time today ). When i was stropping my razor it left some lines on my strop in the direction i was stropping. I was curious if this is normal or if im doing something wrong and if so did i ruin my strop.
Thank you.

yea your strop is fine but your stropping technique isn't. Watch some videos and practice with something else until you have it down right.

Would I be correct from the location that the bites happened 'cause the strop grabbed the spine, flipping it over on the spine, pointing the edge at the leather? This seems to happen more w/ the high-draw strops like latigo. Especially on the smaller blades that flip over easily.
FWIW, I ruined 5 strops. Stropping did NOT come easily for me. TBS's counsel to practice w/ something else is good. Either a dulled razor, some try to learn w/ a butterknife. Or try w/ your razor on about a 17-20" pc of newsprint (two layers). Maybe the best medicine would be to say where you're located and ask if any experienced members are in your area that could watch your stropping, demonstrate good stropping. While you're at it - have them watch you shave. You might be amazed at how much this can help. Best of luck, Derek. You'll get there, and it won't be long.

Thank both of you. I stroped my razor once before and that did not happen but that was right after I honed it. The lines appeared after one shave when I tried to strop it. I will look for some videos and something to practice on. Also I would be happy for someone to show me in person but I realize that the world is a large place and the chances of me being close to someone are slim but I live in Cleveland Ohio, if anyone is close.

You have a few fairly close.
If nothing else when I head up to see the family in MI (early fall usually)I could make myself available for a day.

Stropping videos a-plenty in the Stroptober thread.

Are you using a spike or Spanish point razor? This has happened to me with a spike point before and I know it was not my technique. Some where in shaving I may have bent the blade, but after stropping (and it did scratch the strop like the pictures here) but it shaved great after. May have just been my razor though.

The big thing is just practice. Pull the strop tight, and then relax your muscles keeping the strop straight thus making it taught. In videos you often see a curve in the strop, you have to realize the video is at a side angle and you are looking from above. You shouldn't see the bend at all.

Last when you strop the razor just set the razor on the strop. Don't put it on. Then only use enough pressure to keep the blade and spine on the strop while moving it back and forth. Strop slow and stop about every 10 laps and think about the pressure you are putting on the strop. If you have increased in pressure let up, if you are good then keep going.

Keep at it and you will gain the proper technique. Just remember taught and light pressure and you will be just fine.'

I stropped a spiked razor a few days ago and it left about 10 scratches similar to the OPs. When I rub my finger across the scratches, I can barely but surely tell that it isn't quite as smooth as the non scratched side. The difference is really small.

So the consensus is that it shouldn't effect my razor have fine scratches in it?

Derek
You say that this did not happen until after you honed in post #4,you have an issue with your honed edge,perhaps a wire edge.