Broke a major rule!!!

So there I was in the middle of a shave last night when suddenly realized I hadn't stropped my razor before starting the shave:gaah:

This might seem like a trivial thing because all I would have to do would be to stop the shave and go strop, but the strange thing is I hadn't even noticed...I mean the razor didn't pull or tug the slightest bit, even with a final ATG pass. I had just given the razor 15 laps on the crome ox to get it back up to par, and had all intentions of stopping before my shave, but it slipped my mind somehow. Long story short, the shave was so nice I just kept going and actually got a very nice shave with no irritation!

So my question is, has anyone else ever enjoyed a nice shave without stropping first (either on purpose or just forgetting like I did)?

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Originally Posted by rshaw

So my question is, has anyone else ever enjoyed a nice shave without stropping first (either on purpose or just forgetting like I did)?

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I have. Before I hung my strop up in the bathroom right next to my razors, I would sometimes feel hurried and just grab a razor, check the edge on my thumb and if it felt like I knew it should I would skip stropping and go ahead and shave without issue

It could be also that improved shaving, beard prep, and stropping techniques will allow for an edge to last longer between stroppings. I know when I first started shaving with a straight I was stropping a lot more often than I have to now (even during the shave), although I still strop daily just because it improves the edge, it's easy, fast, and almost fun.

I've done it once. Got halfway through before i realised. I'd just completely forgotten! The shave was fine, but i don't have blade killer stubble & i do give it 20 on the linen after each shave.

Sometimes it just depends on the blade. I have some big old wedges that I can use three or four times without stropping; however, I'm not sure if that's necessarily a good thing to do.

Hum, will not stropping between shaves have an adverse effect on the blade? It will certainly have an adverse effect on the shave :chop:.

Back in the beginning, before I got a strop I did it a few times with no issues.

I also depends on whether you strop after shaving and how well you dry the blade.

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

Who said it was a major rule, and who died and gave them the authority to make major rules. Do what works for you and if anyone cares, they are not worth worrying about. Remember: Those that matter do not care, those that care do not matter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rshaw

So there I was in the middle of a shave last night when suddenly realized I hadn't stropped my razor before starting the shave:gaah:

This might seem like a trivial thing because all I would have to do would be to stop the shave and go strop, but the strange thing is I hadn't even noticed...I mean the razor didn't pull or tug the slightest bit, even with a final ATG pass. I had just given the razor 15 laps on the crome ox to get it back up to par, and had all intentions of stopping before my shave, but it slipped my mind somehow. Long story short, the shave was so nice I just kept going and actually got a very nice shave with no irritation!

So my question is, has anyone else ever enjoyed a nice shave without stropping first (either on purpose or just forgetting like I did)?

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You stropped alright. Try shaving a few times without any stropping. I don't think you'd like it a lost, but it's the only way to find out. We have a member that shaved for 20 years or so without ever using a strop. Then he discovered SRP and he ordered a strop. I don't know if he liked it better.
I know stropping makes a clear difference for me.

Best regards,
Bart.

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Originally Posted by Bart

You stropped alright. Try shaving a few times without any stropping. I don't think you'd like it a lost, but it's the only way to find out. We have a member that shaved for 20 years or so without ever using a strop. Then he discovered SRP and he ordered a strop. I don't know if he liked it better.
I know stropping makes a clear difference for me.

Best regards,
Bart.

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+1 with Bart. If you ever wondered what a shave is like without stropping (and I mean a blade that shaves but isn't freshly honed) try it and see. You'll appreciate what stropping does for your shave.

I've used my straight without stropping for a few weeks now (forgot it at home over spring break), and I know that it does affect my shave a bit. It still feels fine, but I know that with each shave, it gets just a little bit less buttery. I think that as long as you strop the next time, you'll be fine.

I do wonder if it needs honing more often w/o stropping...

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.

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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.

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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....

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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

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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.:bow