Thread: What will happen if you don't strop before a shave.

My buddy texted me today asking if I wanted to come hang out so I had to get a shower and shave and everything so I got ready and right before I was about to get out of the shower, and I realized I hadn't stropped my razor, so I had to run up and strop it after my shower. So I was just curious what may happen without stropping for 1 shave.

My first shave I didnt strop before hand, since I was afraid I would spoil the edge, it shaved fine but cant really say how comfortable the shave will be since all my shaves at that point were pretty uncomfortable. Today I had my best shave yet and it was also the best day ive had on the strop, up till now, might of just been a coincidence but for the time it takes to strop even if you have to run and get it, why not strop. Rushing doesnt seem to be what Str8 shaving is about at all, imo.

Originally Posted by Jasongreat

My first shave I didnt strop before hand, since I was afraid I would spoil the edge, it shaved fine but cant really say how comfortable the shave will be since all my shaves at that point were pretty uncomfortable. Today I had my best shave yet and it was also the best day ive had on the strop, up till now, might of just been a coincidence but for the time it takes to strop even if you have to run and get it, why not strop. Rushing doesnt seem to be what Str8 shaving is about at all, imo.

your first shave was probably from a shave ready razor which means you probably didn't want to strop it anyways.

Back to the original question...

I'm sure someone here has done test and can tell you exactly what effect not stropping will have on your shave (I have never shaved without stropping so I don't know).

I can tell you this, when someone new shows up here and says they are getting an uncomfortable shave, one of the first questions the experts will ask is; "tell me about your pre shave prep".

There may be a clue in that question for you.

Nothing bad.... just may not be as sharp as it might be.
If you are that short of time very often keep a double edge
or toss away handy.

The one thing that is hard to compromise on is beard prep (lathering)
and drying the blade before putting it up (that is two -- woops).

Originally Posted by 15straightrazor

So I was just curious what may happen without stropping for 1 shave.

The mattress police inform on you, to the strop police, and they come and arrest your non-stropping lazy butt And you are sentenced to 25 linen and 50 leather...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

The mattress police inform on you, to the strop police, and they come and arrest your non-stropping lazy butt And you are sentenced to 25 linen and 50 leather...

Are the mattress police the guys that arrest you if you take the tags off the mattress?

Yes the Mattress police hang with the Pillow Patrol and the MSRP Squad

Just try and see for yourself - it won't hurt the razor, but your face will let you know what difference the stropping makes for you and that razor

Originally Posted by gssixgun

The mattress police inform on you, to the strop police, and they come and arrest your non-stropping lazy butt And you are sentenced to 25 linen and 50 leather...

I'm going to call your bluff. I recently went 17 (one-pass) shaves without stropping and nobody arrested me. That was punishment enough

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Just try and see for yourself - it won't hurt the razor, but your face will let you know what difference the stropping makes for you and that razor

I'm a firm believer in trying stuff for yourself if you're curious about it. I've never tried shaving without stropping first because I'm also a firm believer in following the instructions of those who've been down the road before me but if I was curious about it I would try it. Even though the barber manual said to go to leather only after honing I found that linen/leather was better. I tried their way and found my way was better for me... but I tried their way first.

I've had several occasions in my shaving career that I came out the shower, started diving into my shave and half way or at the end suddenly realized I had completely forgotten to strop my razor. I've never had anything real bad happen. If anything I would say those shaves were maybe a tad less smooth. But I've never had a bad shave either by forgetting to strop.