Thread: Stropping the night before

Are there many people that, knowing that they will be shaving the following morning, will hve their razor stropped the night before they shave? As a person who just got a true straight and stropped for the first time in his life this morning, my thoughts are that it would be better to strop when I am fully awake rather than before hopping in the shower, being a bit tired, and possibly rolling the edge or having a bad strop session and not getting a good shave.

Yup, strop the night/day before all the time.

Bob

I shave in the evenings. I strop before I shave. Sometimes I'll strop a few razors so they are ready.

If you are not "awake" or paying attention to what you are doing when stropping.....that can be "a recipe for trouble".

I always strop before I shave.

On a molecular level rust begins to form especially on a carbon razor within seconds of air/water hitting it. Does that mean much? Probably not for shaving but that's how I do it.

Of course if you be afearing razor damage stropping in the AM that changes the dynamics of it.

I apply lather and then strop and then touch up my lathering, or rub it in with my fingers or (rarely) apply a hot towel. Stropping while the lather is on my face gives an extra minute for the lather to further soften my whiskers.

I used to strop all my razors on Sunday and use them all week. I get up around 3:30 every morning and it saved time. I lived through it and never was the wiser. Now that I know how to strop(and it takes a lot less time) And I can shave just as fast as I did with a cartridge my morning routine includes stropping. I have a pile of razors to chose from and changing my mind in the morning got me in that routine. And for the reason Spendur says about edge decay, I have tried to get in the habit of stropping a few laps after shaving just to make sure the blade is as dry as it can be. Don't ask me how that is going :<0)

Originally Posted by BobH

Yup, strop the night/day before all the time.

Bob

Always, and sometimes just wander downstairs and pick out a couple of choices and strop them up....great way to relax.

Originally Posted by Willisf

I shave in the evenings. I strop before I shave. Sometimes I'll strop a few razors so they are ready.

If you are not "awake" or paying attention to what you are doing when stropping.....that can be "a recipe for trouble".

While I was awake for about 30-40 minutes before I hit the strop, I caught myself starting to do typical newbie mistakes like lifting the spine or overshooting my stroke and having to to flip, leave the spine on the strop, then sliding the spine back down the strop before completing the flip. When I made a lap that I feel was not a good one, I did about 5-10 more, while being extra attentive, to undo any "damage" caused by an improper lap.

It's all a learning curve, I know. But I became competent with a shavette to the point I can shave with a feather blade loaded and not get cut. So I know that with practice and care, I will master the straight and the strop too.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I always strop before I shave.

On a molecular level rust begins to form especially on a carbon razor within seconds of air/water hitting it. Does that mean much? Probably not for shaving but that's how I do it.

Of course if you be afearing razor damage stropping in the AM that changes the dynamics of it.

That's another thing I am considering when weighing stropping before the shave vs th night before. My razor is a Ralf Aust carbon steel SR. But to minimize any oxidation, the razor is stored outside of the bathroom (as is the strop) and I do not bring it in until I'm lathered and ready to shave. I also, after gently drying the razor on a towel, give it about 10 laps on the poly webbing and 10 or so laps on the leather.

I strop 20-30 on leather (SRD English Bridle) before shaving. Wipe razor down gently with a single piece of toilet tissue to dry then 15-20 on linen and 60-80 on leather immediately after a shave.