Thread: Hello, and question on strop hook

Hello all. I just bought a straight razor, strop, and DVD from straight razors design. Got them and watched the DVD today, and several other youtube videos the past couple of days. Showered and shaved tonight. Only one small shallow line cut that barely bled, about 3/4" long, otherwise pretty smooth shave, though not as good as I got at a barber shop in China (where they used hot towels and more prep). Still trying to figure out the angle and pressure, as it took a several passes, and seemed to pull (probably not shallow enough). Not sure if it's because I used shaving cream from a can (couldn't wait for the soap I ordered to get here). Shaving on my left is problematic, as I have trouble seeing what I am doing in the mirror.

Currently, I hang the strop from the robe hook on the bathroom door. I'll go look around on how you are supposed to mount the strop, but if you have advice, let me know.

Welcome to SRP. I like to hang mine waist high, roughly how barbers have them on their barber chairs. I use a zip tie (cable tie) on a door knob and that works well for me. Congrats on your first shave. Read my sig line below to avoid nicks and cuts.

I use a hook similar to this screwed to the side of my vanity
Brass Eye - Lee Valley Tools

Welcome to SRP. I'm all with JimmyHAD, waist high or thereabouts give a nice stropping angle for me. If you want a better shave, better prep is seldom a fruitless path. Also, the canned goo might contribute - it is already "lathered up" so it doesn't require much, with a real soap you tend to work it better into the beard. At least, remembering back in the day, that certainly was the case with me. If you use more of the can, try to really work it into the beard. I apply my lather before I strop, gives it a little while to work.
Best of luck.

If you want it to be easily removeable, a heavy shoe string or a light rope tying the strop to the doorknob works well.

Thanks guys. Think I'll head out to home depot for a hook, and put it under the lip of the countertop so the wife doesn't notice it.

UPDATE: I bought the hook, took it to the vice, linked it to the ring that came with my strop, and mounted the hook/ring to my sink cabinet. Works well. Thanks for the advice.