Thread: Forgot to strop

Originally Posted by MasterRolf

On occasion, I have skipped stropping for one shave with no harm to either the shave or my blade.

Are you stropping immediately after shaving too, as my friend jhenry correctly pointed out, to remove accumulated gunk? Usually if someone does this it is possible to have a decent shave the next day without stropping beforehand.

Otherwise I have yet to have a good shave without a proper stropping session. My sensitive skin can feel the difference.

I strop before and after: 30 material and 60 leather before, then 15 material and 30 leather afterwards.

I try not to forget, but sometimes I do, and I can tell. I strop before and after shaving, but only occasionally on the linen side, and I'm sure that stropping improves the edge. In fact, after I hone my razor, the second and third shaves are always (mostly) better than the first. Has anyone ever figured out (in a scientific way) the value of stropping on the linen side? If so, has anyone figured out the sequence of linen/leather that gives the most benefit? I suppose if there is a detectable improvement gained, the amount of improvement would depend on the razor (assuming consistent technique). Inquiring minds....

Originally Posted by fdennis

I try not to forget, but sometimes I do, and I can tell. I strop before and after shaving, but only occasionally on the linen side, and I'm sure that stropping improves the edge. In fact, after I hone my razor, the second and third shaves are always (mostly) better than the first. Has anyone ever figured out (in a scientific way) the value of stropping on the linen side?..

No idea about the linen strop? I've been straight shaving for about 3 months never used a linen strop. Just my leather strop and on the occasional day i forget to strop completely but i think its ok as my general pattern is to strop about 30 times before and after a shave so i guess if i do forget to strop before a shave I'm good to go any way.

I usually strop between shaves, but occasionally I do not. But if my face requests the blade to be stropped right then and right there, I always oblige

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Are you stropping immediately after shaving too, as my friend jhenry correctly pointed out, to remove accumulated gunk? Usually if someone does this it is possible to have a decent shave the next day without stropping beforehand.

Otherwise I have yet to have a good shave without a proper stropping session. My sensitive skin can feel the difference.

No, I only strop before the shave, never after (but I do wipe the blade on a towel to dry it after rinsing and I do use a stropping motion to do this). It is also a fact that I have a number of razors so each gets to rest a week between shaves.

I only strop before. I rinse well and wipe on a towel after shaving.

Sounds like you're usually doing PLENTY of stropping then!
I'm another that just strops before the shave. That has to be the norm, surely? I just wouldn't have the patience if it was required that I strop between each pass, I mean, the strops are in the bedroom. Just getting there & back & the lather would dry out!