No strop prior to shave. Puzzling razor behavior...

First off, I always strop on plain leather cowhide or horsehide hanging strops before a shave. For Easter, I went out of town and rather than grab all my shaving gear, I grabbed one of my shave ready razors that I shave with frequently and comfortably, some brushless cream I've never used before and my alum block. I stropped the razor very well at home, packed it up in a dry razor box with some tissue wrapped around it for a snug ride and that was it.

I did not strop the razor this morning, prepped and went right for a shave. Keep in mind, this Larkin round point gives me close comfortable irritation free shaves that leave nothing to complain about. Disappointing shave, disappointing edge. Huh??? There is an altitude change from where I live to where I was, but nothing dramatic. I don't think it's the brushless shave cream (Dr. Sheffield's given as a gift/door prize at the last MN SRP meet) because the edge that glides through whiskers at home was close to crap today in another location.

I will strop that same razor as usual for tomorrow's shave and I'm betting the edge is just as it should be.

Has anyone had similar experiences and if so, any theories?

Chris L

I have noticed that when I use a soap or cream that I have never used before I have a similar problem. Although the shave is acceptable it is far from my ideal! usually within 2 to 3 shaves I have the new product sussed out and then everything is back to normal.

Chris,

My Saturday's shave was similarly a disaster, but for different reasons. For some wonderful shaves the next morning, I have stropped the evening before; the results have always been good - sometimes outstanding. For the disasterous shave, I stropped the razor my usual number of strokes on my usual combination of leathers and fabrics on the morning of, but, but I used a different cream. It's a Caswell Whatever 17 something something: wretched stuff that I bought a while ago and am only now getting around to trying. As we here in Minnesota are given to say, "uufdah." I have tried Ivory soap just for kicks and it kicks Caswell's Whatever butt.

So, to answer your question, I dunno. My evening before-shave strop has seemed to work, but I've had issues with other changes of routine. And maybe that's it: the change is what disrupts the smooth flow of a routine. :shrug:

--It's kind of fun playing in the style of the mental health care professional: "and what do you think the problem is?"-- Gimme a couple hundred bucks an hour and I'll ask all the questions you'd care to hear-- The Dr. is in... :rofl2:

Hi Chris,

I normally do the same as Bruce has mentioned, strop the razor the night before, it saves me time in the mornings before school. I also strop just before the shave on weekends, I haven't noticed a significant difference if any, between stropping the night before and stropping directly before a shave.

From my experiences, the edge should have been fine if you stropped it before you left and used it the next day :shrug: