Thread: Broke a major rule!!!

I was so excited when I got this Hawcroft & Sons from Alex (Philadelph) that I forgot to strop. I got the shave of my life from that razor. First it convinced me that Alex *knows* what shave ready means. Second it taught me that a razor can sit for a bit (in this case a few days) after stropping, and still give a perfect shave.

Unlike in Minnesota where every good idea is the law, most of these good ideas, such as stropping before a shave are recommendations for doing things which have proved to be of benefit over time.

It's entirely possible that if the blades on disposable razors could be stropped before each shave and touched up when needed, they wouldn't be all that disposable.

So, while stropping before each shave may not be an absolute necessity, we do it now because the old timers thought it efficacious and so it seems to continue to be of benefit.

Originally Posted by bpave777

I was so excited when I got this Hawcroft & Sons from Alex (Philadelph) that I forgot to strop. I got the shave of my life from that razor. First it convinced me that Alex *knows* what shave ready means. Second it taught me that a razor can sit for a bit (in this case a few days) after stropping, and still give a perfect shave.

I've always wondered whether stropping a day or two before the actual shave affects the quality of the shave.

I've also heard of people saying that when a newbie receives a freshly hone and stropped blade from a pro that they shouldn't strop it the first time. That led me to think that even if the razor spends a few days or weeks in the mail that it doesn't really affect the quality of the edge.

I wouldn't mind doing my stropping after my shave to get ready for the next one....

Originally Posted by Big Red

let me ask this. some old people look like their skin has turned to leather. I saw how that livi guy stropped on his palm. could an old person just strop anywhere? forearm for instance, or their face, then flip the blade over and shave?



red

You know, according to the old penny dreadful, Sweeney Todd always stropped his razor on his hand...

I'm still a newbie but I have honed several (one wedge and two full hollow )to what I consider a shave ready status. I have done some 10-20 passes on the linen side of my antique strop and wonder if the old leather side is doing more damage than good. The strop us perfectly flat, has been sanded and saddle soaped and I was wondering if anyone uses a really old strop.

Is there a substitute I can use after the linen side to see, just once, if the leather side is performing well.