Thread: Stropping the night before

To give a slightly different perspective...

I shave, dry the blade with a towel, and then strop 25x on linen, and 75x on leather. My thoughts are that it cleans and dries the edge, as well. I then put the blade in a snack size ziplock bag that has a few desiccant packs in it, seal it and store, until the next shave.

If a blade is not going to be used for a while (I typically use one, until it gets dull, and then move to the next blade, with the plan to refresh the oldest blade I have), I put oil on the blade and pins, before storing in the bag.

Seems to work for me. I can get right to shaving (usually after I shower), and ensures I have a clean blade after.

There is no harm in stropping the night before but I also strop right before I shave and as some have pointed out I do it while the lather softens my beard.

As has been pointed out oxidization can start very quickly. But by keeping the blade dry and away from moisture the edge will be protected.

To make my case. I was given 7 razors from my Boy Scout Scoutmaster Owen Agenbroad. NONE OF THE RAZORS HAD SEEN A HONE LET ALONE A STROP IN AT LEAST 50 YEARS.

There was no noticeable 'rust' just a very light patina on all of the blades. After a Very Through Stropping ALL would give a decent shave! I really couldn't believe it!

So I sent one to Glen (gssixgun) for a go and after giving it a shave; he couldn't believe it either. He wanted to do more tests but found a small hairline crack that neither of us had detected while shaving.

What I'm saying is this:

With proper drying and storage your razor will be ready when you are.

When I started with the straight, I would strop ahead of time because it took me quite a while to strop and I had to pay attention (not that I didn't kill several strops).
I didn't notice any difference in the shaves whether I stropped immediately before the shave or 24 hours earlier.
After about a year of stropping everyday I could strop in about 2 minutes even if I was half asleep. So these days I mix my lather up, strop, shave, and strop afterwards.

During the week, I strop the night before, purely as a time saver but weekends are always immediately before my shave.

I strop after shaving, oil the blade up to put back in storage box. I'm always rotating my razors, before shaving I wipe oil off, knowing that it has been stropped, maybe a week before, but just part of my routine, I strop again before shaving with it.
My thinking is stropping after a shave helps to dry it, micro-keens the blade up to par, but always re-strop before using it again, just my way.
I'm retired so there is never any rush to shave, I enjoy the meditative routine I have set for my shaves, works for me.

I always strop the razor right after shaving so that in the AM, if I'm in a hurry, I already have the blade ready to go. I often will give the razor a few more laps just before shaving, but I like to put a razor away fully ready for its next use.

I typically strop after the shave so it is ready to go the next shave session. If I have time I also do it before. What your describing, in the op, is my standard method.

How will know If you roll the edge, will the razor pull?

Originally Posted by MisterClean

How will know If you roll the edge, will the razor pull?

You'll know because it won't shave well if at all.

I generally strop before and after shaving. I do 40 on leather before and 20 felt 40 leather after. I like the idea of stropping right befor to know that the edge is as fresh as possible. I like to strop after to know that it is being put away with a very dry and clean bevel. If I'm in a hurry, I don't need to strop before because it was stropped last use.

I normally shave every 48 hrs., in the evening. After shaving and drying the razor off with a bar towel, it's ~10 laps cotton or linen, followed by ~30-40 laps leather.