Thread: Palm honing

I bought and have another Mastro Livi razor on order. I noticed on utube he hand strops his razors as does a barber who shaved him. I have never seen this done on any other video or suggested by honemeisters. What does it do and how does it work? Your hand is far from flat. I assume it might be for the oil in your hand. Be interested in hearing from Lynn on this one. The Razorguy says he does it and it works.

Every time I hear the term 'Palm strop' I shudder .... I make my living from my hands, there is no way I would ever even try.... that's why I bought a strop!

When honing, I "palm strop" a lot. It clears the paper towel/cotton cloth remnants off the blade. You then get a clear view with the scope and don't carry artifacts to the next hone.

You do have to do this carefully.

I do as well when honing, works just like leather, from the fat of the palm to the tip of the pinky, middle and ring finger. As long as you are moving away from the edge and watch the flip, no problem. Does make you pay attention…

Livi’s hands are probably 4k, with all the bits of steel in them, have you seen those hooks?

Recipe for eventual disaster I would say! But then again, I have been there and done things with sharp long blades including over 15 years ago in the forest on my job using a machete to destroy a up and rising entrepreneur growing things of organic delight and almost cutting my right hand off! So I will remain silent for I cannot cast that stone because I have been there!

I saw the heading "Palm Stropping" and thought I better check this out?
A lot easier than putting a razor to the face.

Gentlemen,

I began palm stropping several years ago and it became a habit. How and why I started I don't remember, although I figured that the palm is leather, too, so why not? As long as I was careful, of course. Years later Mastro Livi did it in a video I saw and I thought that if he did it, I was in good company.

I palm strop after every regular stropping sequence, about 50 strokes, after honing on stones and before each shave. I still figure the palm is leather, too, and probably the sweetest of the leather strops.

Having been in construction, I love hands that look like his. I bet he has a grip like a vise.

I guess you have an advantage when you travel. Still, I'd rather use my shoe then my hands.

Fore arm stropping would work well , just mind your wrists.