Can you strop too much?

First, let me say thank you to all of you. This forum has been great. While this is my first post, I am on here almost everyday reading as much as I can. My fiancé thinks I have problem, but what can I say...I wanna know as much as possible.

A quick note about me, I work in law enforcement so I pretty much have to shave everyday. I went through life using a disposable and just living with the irritation, thinking it was just how it is . Then I learned about the straight razor! I started off simple, a Dovo Shavette back in September. While the first time it looked like I shaved using a wolverine, things got better and I really got the hang of it. For Christmas, I decided it was time to step up my game and go pro. I convinced the fiancé this was the right move for both us and she was nice enough to get me a honing stone and strop for Christmas. It was up to me to get the razor. I went with a Dovo stainless steal 5/8". Being cocky, I jumped right in...and quickly learned I needed to make a lot of adjustments. At this point, I am proud to say it no longer looks like I stick my face in a paper shredder before heading out and the face is very very smooth.

Here is my question....after practice I can do a great job honing and stropping (I think). I have realized that while stainless steal keeps the edge longer, it takes more to get and maintain that edge. Before I shave, I strop the blade about 200 passes. This seems to work perfect for me, my issue is am I hurting the blade at all or am an idiot and need more work on my stropping technique because I should be doing less passes?

Take it easy on me guys...still learning....thanks in advance.

Hi and welcome. I'm retired Law Enforcement.

You can strop as long as you want and it will not damage the blade as long as your hand and arm don't fatigue causing you to mis-strop. I've found once you go much past 60 passes there is no real improvement.

I did an experiment years ago called the Grand Experiment. Do a search in the stropping forum if you're interested.

Thanks for the info! I will check that out.

Welcome to SRP!

Spendur most definitely told you right (he seems to do that quite a bit :) ).

As far as going easy on you though, well.... we... you... see, the thing is... Ah, who am I kidding? This is the most welcoming and helpful forum I've been on!! Definitely do not be shy in asking any question you have. Also, you don't have your location listed, but you may want to see if there's a mentor or a local members meet-up in your area to really help you build your skills. What you'll learn in those few hours will be worth months of time reading here on the forum, maybe even more.

Again, welcome and glad to have you aboard!!

Thanks! I didn't even think of that. I can see it now, " Cya babe, off to go shave with guys I met online." Lol, I like the idea, most of my friends think I am nuts for using a straight razor so it would be great to talk with local people that enjoy it as well. I will make sure to add that.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Hi and welcome. I'm retired Law Enforcement.

You can strop as long as you want and it will not damage the blade as long as your hand and arm don't fatigue causing you to mis-strop. I've found once you go much past 60 passes there is no real improvement.

I did an experiment years ago called the Grand Experiment. Do a search in the stropping forum if you're interested.

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Me too....to everything.....:)

Good to hear there are some brothers in blue out there!

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Originally Posted by Sprout004

Good to hear there are some brothers in blue out there!

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If your not busy on Sunday we are having a meet up by the George Washington Bridge in Northern NJ. Not very far from Philly and may be worth the ride for some learning and camaraderie. There will be at least two street urchins there as well.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/get-t...2013-9ish.html

Thanks for the info. I grew up in Hackensack so I know exactly where you are at. Unfortunately, I am working Sunday. I will keep checking the threads and hopefully I can make the next one.

Thanks to the men in blue who keep the rest of us safe!

Thanks Jeff, without the support of the public, our jobs would be that much harder.

Fellow law enforcement here any help I may pass on brother feel free to contact me

Thanks, I really appreciate that. Never know when you might need a contact.

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Originally Posted by Sprout004

Thanks for the info. I grew up in Hackensack so I know exactly where you are at. Unfortunately, I am working Sunday. I will keep checking the threads and hopefully I can make the next one.

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Worked in the courthouse for a long time.

No, you cannot strop too much. Well, perhaps you could strop too much if you were a team of stroppers stropping for weeks on end, but ... What you can do is strop badly and that will only take a few strokes to ruin your edge so DON'T strop unnecessarily like that. You should be okay.

Lol, it's funny for some reason I am getting a more comfortable shave when I am up in the 100's vs 60. Maybe it is a mental thing.

Yes, at first my stropping was off, but that gave me practice on my honing... Lol. Now, at least I think, my stopping is spot on.

No, you can't strop too much but you can strop too hard. I've also got a Dovo stainless, and yes, it does take a little more of everything to keep it behaving. What are you honing on?

I recently tried something before offering it as advice... tear off a quarter of the total width from a sheet of newsprint, put a bulldog paperclip at one end, and hang it from something. Now strop on it. If you pull it from the clip, either from lengthwise tension or from the actual stropping, you're stropping too hard.

I've yet to experiment with what happens when you lift the spine or flip too soon.

Best wishes. Hope you get to a meetup soon. Laughed out loud at your line about going to shave with the guys... I've found it's one thing to talk about straight shaving, and another entirely to talk about going online to chat about it. Folks move away from me there on the bench, give me the hairy eyeball...

What an awesome piece of advice! I can't wait to get home and try that. Thanks for the heads up on that one.

Yea, the guys at work think I am nuts for using a straight, if only they knew what they are missing!