Hello from Seoul S.Korea

I'm switching from a DE to a st8 and I can't wait to get my new Dovo 6/8 Bismarck from SRD. I do have a question for anyone that owns this beauty, what is the length of the cutting edge? I am looking at different strops and I want one big enough so that I don't have to learn the X technique right of the bat maybe somewhere down the road. I also don't want to get a top end 3" strop if I don't have to for this purpose as I know from what I've read that I'm gonna NICK and even cut my firtst one. I'm currently looking at getting the Filly from Rup but its only 2" and I would rather spring for the better strop and learn the correct technique than get a smaller one and get my razor all FUBAR.
Any help would be much appreciated and oh yeah HELLO everyone.

Hi funkadelyk, Welcome to SRP!

It sounds like you've already been doing some reading, but if you haven't, be sure to read this post from BeBerlin: http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...zor-place.html

Read throught the links there, especially the beginner's guide and the FAQ.
Also, if you click the wiki button at the top, there is all kinds of useful information about everything having to do with straight razor shaving.

Be sure to post any questions you have... The best way to learn is to read the wiki and to get involved in the forums.

As to the strop, the x-technique really isn't that difficult to learn. If you just get a decent quality strop and slowly practice the motion a few times to get the hang of it, you'll have it down in no time.

Again, welcome!

The X-stroke is the same as a straight stroke.

I'm going to go on a limb and suggest you are better off with a 2" strop and X-stroke to ensure proper contact.

If you are very new to stropping, a 3" may start cupping and you won't realize it.

Welcome to SRP! X stroke or straight stroke the chances of nicking/cutting the strop are the same. Practice with a butter knife and take slow strikes. Spped is not as much as an issue as keeping contact with the strop, nit rolling the edge and nit cutting the strop. Good luck!

Welcome to SRP. The 1961 barber manual honing excerpt in the SRP WIki help files here has a couple of pages on stropping at the end of the honing section. One suggestion I like is to practice flipping the razor without doing the stroke. Once you feel you have the flip learned begin doing the stroke. Sometimes some of the vendors have a leather with a natural blemish at a reduced price. You might check with them and ask. :gl: