Thread: I don't think we're on Bladeforums anymore, Toto...

We call it Überlather (Cream and 5 drops of Glycerin in a bowl then a soap loaded brush) but honestly we are a bit obsessive with our shaving,,, Go slow and work up to the other stuff or as many like to say Start with the KISS principle and expand from there...

when i mix soap and cream i usually load the brush with my soap and depending on which type of cream i am using, some are "stiffer" than others; CF (Castle Forbes) comes to mind, will either add the cream to the soap loaded brush (just dab a bit on the tips) or smeer the cream in the bottom of my scuttle and continue the lather making in that. But again thats just my way.....i am actually interested to see if others do it differently!

I'm wondering now about stropping. How often do you guys do it, and how many passes is necessary for a typical post-shave stropping?

I do about ten laps after shaving to make sure my edge is dry.
I do about 40 before each shave.

Originally Posted by MagenDavid

I'm wondering now about stropping. How often do you guys do it, and how many passes is necessary for a typical post-shave stropping?

For me, 20-30x after the shave & 60-80 before...typical total between 80-100x. You will find what works for you as you progress as all of us will have a different idea of what works. The post shave stropping is really just to ensure the edge is dry and clean of all micro "stuff" that could cause or at the least assist oxidation.

Welcome to SRP. I'm working the other way around from you, going from razors to knives. Hope you don't mind if I PM you some knife questions from time to time.

You've got some good questions. I don't strop after my shaves and have not had any ill effects over the years but stropping afterwards to 'dry the edge' is fine if you want to. Stropping before each shave will give you the best shave your current edge can provide. I look at stropping as removing the burrs from honing and shaving. The cloth/canvas gets the larger burrs off and the leather puts the finishing touch on the burs and edge. Best to experiment and see what works best for you. I look forward to your future questions and suggestions from your perspective.

Check out the Wiki and Barbers Manuals, very concise info to start.

So it's pretty common practice to strop before the shave? I'd read somewhere that it's best to strop after the shave and keep the razor oiled and ready to go. Is this another sort of thing where personal preference dictates?
Also, I need a recommendation on electric clippers and a pair of scissors. My girlfriend suggested that our present clippers are in their twilight, and the scissors frankly sucked when they were new.
Lastly, I'm happy to field questions about knives and answer them to the best of my ability. If I don't know the answer, I certainly know some highly knowledgeable folks who can provide insight.

Originally Posted by MagenDavid

So it's pretty common practice to strop before the shave? I'd read somewhere that it's best to strop after the shave and keep the razor oiled and ready to go. Is this another sort of thing where personal preference dictates?
Also, I need a recommendation on electric clippers and a pair of scissors. My girlfriend suggested that our present clippers are in their twilight, and the scissors frankly sucked when they were new.
Lastly, I'm happy to field questions about knives and answer them to the best of my ability. If I don't know the answer, I certainly know some highly knowledgeable folks who can provide insight.

It is recommended practice to strop before each shave, and yes it is very common practice as well. It is not necessary to strop after the shave, but it doesn't hurt either. It is also not necessary to oil the razor between shaves as long as you are careful to dry it thoroughly (including any drops that might be between the scales). I often leave my razors out in the open position for a while to air dry (in a safe place of course) away from overly-moist conditions. If you do not intend to use a razor for a while, then it is a good idea to oil it and store it away, again in a low-humidity environment. However, if you are happy to oil each time, and then to wipe the oil off each time before a shave, then it is most definitely a personal choice.

Sorry, I know nothing about electric clippers or scissors.

James.

Welcome

As for AOS customer service, they may be in an unholy alliance with P&G, but I cannot fault their customer service at all, they are expensive yes, but they really do care about the customer (I bought a razor from them that had spine wear etc and they cut me a check for what I spend to have Lynn hone it, no questions asked) but their stuff is expensive and you can get better for less. Still their starter kit got me hooked so it can't be all that bad