Thread: Stropping after a shave?

Speaking of using oil, some DE shavers say they use alcohol to displace any water residue. How would that affect a straight razor blade? Do you think it would help, hurt etc?

Originally Posted by GG1

Speaking of using oil, some DE shavers say they use alcohol to displace any water residue. How would that affect a straight razor blade? Do you think it would help, hurt etc?

I may be all wet but as I recall it takes exposure to air to cause rust and I believe I even read something one time that stated less rust would be created by leaving your razor submerged in water than leaving it in a damp environment.

In my early days I used to shave with an electric and between uses I left the "blades" soaking in a cleaning solution as a rust preventative measure. I think they still sell that solution which was a combination of alcohol and oil. If I wanted to experiment that's what I'd try as when the alcohol evaporated the oil should be left behind. I don't think alcohol is a true dispersant but rather helps the water to evaporate.

If I were looking for a dispersant I'd go radically "out of the box" and maybe try something like a hard felt pad sprayed with WD-40. A few stropping laps on that should do the trick.

***WARNING *** I have not personally used the above technique which was spawned by an alcohol fueled brainstorm while watching the SciFi channel...use at your own risk!

Originally Posted by AusTexShaver

I may be all wet but as I recall it takes exposure to air to cause rust and I believe I even read something one time that stated less rust would be created by leaving your razor submerged in water than leaving it in a damp environment.

In my early days I used to shave with an electric and between uses I left the "blades" soaking in a cleaning solution as a rust preventative measure. I think they still sell that solution which was a combination of alcohol and oil. If I wanted to experiment that's what I'd try as when the alcohol evaporated the oil should be left behind. I don't think alcohol is a true dispersant but rather helps the water to evaporate.

If I were looking for a dispersant I'd go radically "out of the box" and maybe try something like a hard felt pad sprayed with WD-40. A few stropping laps on that should do the trick.

***WARNING *** I have not personally used the above technique which was spawned by an alcohol fueled brainstorm while watching the SciFi channel...use at your own risk!

Thanks, I think your right about evaporating as opposed to dispersing.

I like the warning lol.

I go about 15 laps on canvas to make sure the edge is dry, and always have. I think someone just posted a photo of Torrey directions this week that said to do this. I'll believe the thin fin breaks when someone posts a photo of it.

Originally Posted by AusTexShaver

If I were looking for a dispersant I'd go radically "out of the box" and maybe try something like a hard felt pad sprayed with WD-40. A few stropping laps on that should do the trick.

In others posts I have read WD 40 is not good for a razor...IIRC

This letting the edge rest theory, I don't know.
Be interesting to find out where that idea started.
I just figure if a lot of old time barbers sbscribed to the idea what harm could it do to rest the edge, provided it's dried by whatever other means.

Joey

Every time a razor is stropped an angel gets his wings.
Do it at every opportunity!

Originally Posted by GG1

Speaking of using oil, some DE shavers say they use alcohol to displace any water residue. How would that affect a straight razor blade? Do you think it would help, hurt etc?

I clean my edges with alcohol after every shave (when I'm good ), right before the stropping. I haven't noticed any ill effect.

X

I noticed my Dovo Special struggling a bit after about three shaves regardless the amount of stroping on the canvass and leather. So I bought a 4 sided strop with pastes on three sides - .5 micron, 1.0 micron, and 3.0 micron.

10 passes on the .5 micron every three shaves along with the usual stroping gets the blade very sharp and to my preference. Eventually, I will have to use the 1.0 and 3.0 side to get my preferred sharpness and when that doesn't work, its time to hone the blade.

Everyone is different and needs to find their comfort zone. I thought a few out there would find this helpful.

Pabster