Thread: Old Norwegian barber strops VERY VERY quickly

Just take a look at 2:54
What do you think?

Looks like he knows what he's doing. I don't think the speed makes a difference, good or bad, if you have the control. Then again, maybe he's saying otherwise and I just can't understand.

He is indeed saying otherwise Dylan

He basically says that speed is of the essence. Without it you are wasting time.
He furthermore denies to believe that the fine side of his strop is doing any good on a razor.
The rough side is all that matters, in his opinion.
"You can probably get some effect from the fine side, if you use paste on it"

His preference is fabric, such as linen, not leather.

From what I understand this Gentleman is a trained barber.
He was a barber for a few years in the 70's.
A couple years back he started his own barbershop where he offers shaves with proper straights, if desired, with the clients own razor.

Yes, what he says about speed is that you have to get the razor warm for it to have effect. Also extreme pressure, even what he calls light pressure is much more forceful than what most people use. He mentions that the leather is only for "French ground" razors. He doesn't say it here, but he maintains that french ground razors are certain types of Solingen blades.
At the end he says he has cut through heavy packing cardboard with a razor then used the method on linen he demonstrates to bring it back to shave ready.
He rarely uses stones and does not use pastes.

regards,
Torolf

Originally Posted by TM280

He mentions that the leather is only for "French ground" razors.

Just a clarification; what he refers to as french ground razors are in fact wedges, as opposed to hollow grounds.


(link to norwegian forum where he clarifies)

Thanks for that, it makes sense with what he claims for different stropping styles. I was confused because what he showed me recently, and called French ground, was absolutely not something I would call a wedge.

regards,
Torolf

Thanks to everyone for the clarifications.

Couple of other small observations that have nothing to do with the Clarifications that you guys already found..

That is a very short strop, and a very short stroke from what I am seeing hence a very fast rhythm, also I can't explain it but one of the guys explained it to me, when you are using the small video cameras that most of us use there is a certain speed at which we run ahead of the rate of the camera, or some such Geek BS that I really don't understand... So it looks as though you are doing more and faster than you really are..

That being said I also believe in the faster is better in the stropping arena, so strop as fast as you can keep control of the razor

Or as somebody put it once much better than I did "Strop only as slow as you have to, as to strop correctly"

wow compared to him im as slow as a herd of turtles going thru peanut butter.

Also, remember he is just one guy and one opinion barber or not. I do agree stropping should be done at a quick pace though.