Quote Originally Posted by Euclid440 View Post
If stropping is an issue for you… learn to strop, find a mentor, have someone watch and coach you. Slow down, keep the spine on the strop at all times, stop then flip. Also use a good quality strop.
I love the blue sentence. The reason is slowing down is where I fall short when learning something that requires repetition with accuracy. I just speed up without thinking about it. I think it's impatience. I think I've seen too many videos of how to strop and the guy doesn't show you much. He just starts stropping at lightening speed. I have to remember I'm just starting and he has probably been doing this for a month or more. Kidding. Going slow is key. Why move fast when the moving is not accurate? I have to force myself to go slow, making every motion as accurate as I can. The speed will come all by itself. When it does come you will be accurate. I learned this philosephy when learning to play guitar many years ago. When the muscle memory kicks in we want to be making accurate movements.

I'd like to thank all of those who have helped me with advice. Your help is helping. My stropping is becoming more comfortable and the edges on my razors are getting better. Stropping just enough to keep a razor shave ready is not enough "practice" to become skilled IMO. Therefore I'm using one of my two razors to practice with. I have two razors. The other one I shave with. The one I practice with if I mess it up I have to fix it. That razor has been honed by a pro and the bevels are set. During this practice I don't have enough face to test my results by shaving. So, I try to cut arm hairs above the skin. When I don't have any more arm hair to speak of I am cutting hanging hairs. I have to be able to test the edge and these are the only way I know to do it. It's slow going but at least I'm going in a positive direction. Thanks guys.