mrsell63

"NO-NICK STROPPING"

Here is my personal opinion about the proper way to turn the razor on the strop.

Two barbers back in the 1960's told me that I should strop with my thumb on the corner of the tang. And some wrist turning is OK.

They also told me that if I wrap my little finger and my ring finger lightly around the handle, it would help me turn [manipulate] the razor with very little wrist turning. Those two fingers on the handle give me more control when changing direction on the strop. It works quite well for me all these years.

Also you must keep the spine in contact with the strop at all times ( just like on the hone ) and practice stropping in slow motion until you feel confident with your stropping method. Strop slow enough so you can actually see the edge flipping at the correct moment. Speed is never important.

I just thought I would tell you what the barbers told me.

Examine this thought. On each stroke you are making a 180 degree change of direction. Do not start this change of direction until you have lifted the cutting edge off of the strop and do not let the edge touch the strop until you have fully changed direction.

You must come to a complete stop before you can change direction. During this momentary "stop", the razor edge should not be touching the strop. The edge only goes back on the strop when the directional change is completed and your hand and razor edge is moving in the correct direction.

Practice all of the above in absolute slow motion and try to see and feel the edge come off the strop at the right moment and go back on the strop at the right moment.

Focus on keeping the razor flat on the strop just as if you were on a stone hone. If you develope a counting rythym like a musician, this will help you to be cognizant of every part of your stropping motion.

The edge only belongs on the strop when it is moving in the right direction. When your brain realizes that your stropping motion is all of a sudden out of sync with your count, your hand will automatically stop dead in its tracks. I have proven this many times. The first time you catch yourself out of sync, you will realize how well this system works.

Again, do all this in SLOW MOTION until you can feel the correct stropping stroke. I always take a deep breath first and always start with the "toward me" stroke.

Stropping is a matter of precise timing just like a musician counting time while playing an instrument. Musicians count time; that's how they play the correct note at the precise moment it needs to be played. With just a little imagination, you can adapt this counting method to your stropping stroke. One and two and three and four. That's all there is to it. If you nick your strop, you are going too fast. Slow down...

S L O W M O T I O N and C O U N T I N G are the keys to developing a successful stropping stroke. Concentrate, FOCUS ON THE COUNT.............


Some guys might misinterpret/misunderstand/call it overkill with the counting method. Counting works in the music profession, it works at the blackjack table, it works in the operating room where they count the number of scalpels, sponges, clamps and hemostats etc., it works at the prison where they count inmates, it works when counting your kids on vacation 2000 miles from home and it works for nick-free razor stropping.

I hope everyone tries this method because when employed properly, it puts you in a comfort zone that can pretty much guarantee the survival of your strop. I have at least 15 strops and they are all nick free [since 1971 ] thanks in very large part to my adherence to a long-time, proven method.

It works. Good luck to all.
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