Thread: Better with no strop

I think I am actually getting a better shave when I don't strop for a while.
Every time I do strop it doesn't really make it feel any sharper, and this mornings cold shave again was done without strop.

Question is, How and when do you guys strop, what things are you looking out for?

Originally Posted by 8thsinner

I think I am actually getting a better shave when I don't strop for a while.
Every time I do strop it doesn't really make it feel any sharper, and this mornings cold shave again was done without strop.

Question is, How and when do you guys strop, what things are you looking out for?

Please try to strop right.
There is something wrong if you are not getting better edge after stropping.
What it is until we see how you strop will be very hard to tell.
hope this helps.

I agree with HBG. If your shaves suck after stropping it means that your stropping technique needs work. There is a certain "wow" factor when you shave with a properly stropped razor. Often it can be the difference between a squeegie-like shave and tugging/pulling. Or, in other words, a great shave vs a subpar shave.

I don't think it has anything to do with stropping incorrectly, the blade has been well stropped and appears to hold a great edge. Thats the emphasis here, holding a good edge.

I always figured stropping is required after a shave, since I have stopped doing this a few times my shave hasn't gotten worse.

Hence my question, what should I be looking for as a sign it needs to be stropped.
Otherwise I will continue to strop removing more metal than is needed and end up wearing my blade out much more quickly.

I agree with hi_bud_gl. There is no way to get a better shave without stropping if the stropping is done properly. Here is the 1961 barber manual on honing and stropping. It is a PDF from the SRP Wiki. The last couple of pages on stropping may give you something to go with.

Originally Posted by 8thsinner

I don't think it has anything to do with stropping incorrectly, the blade has been well stropped and appears to hold a great edge. Thats the emphasis here, holding a good edge.

I always figured stropping is required after a shave, since I have stopped doing this a few times my shave hasn't gotten worse.

Hence my question, what should I be looking for as a sign it needs to be stropped.
Otherwise I will continue to strop removing more metal than is needed and end up wearing my blade out much more quickly.

The barber manual posted above says, on page 26, "Remember, a razor should never be used for shaving without being stropped." They knew something about shaving with straight razors. Add to that a few hundred years of practical application by millions of shavers. Honing will cause wear over time but stropping will not cause appreciable wear. OTOH, if not stropping before the shave works for you go with it.

Originally Posted by 8thsinner

I don't think it has anything to do with stropping incorrectly, the blade has been well stropped and appears to hold a great edge. Thats the emphasis here, holding a good edge.

I always figured stropping is required after a shave, since I have stopped doing this a few times my shave hasn't gotten worse.

Hence my question, what should I be looking for as a sign it needs to be stropped.
Otherwise I will continue to strop removing more metal than is needed and end up wearing my blade out much more quickly.

I will try to address your points (in bold) one at a time:

-When you say that your blade HAS been well stropped, what do you mean? Generally a blade is stropped immediately prior to each shave, which in turn will help the blade to hold a good edge for a long time (with proper form)

-Stropping after shaving is open to debate. Some do, some don't. I do, as I feel it removes microgunk (from shaving) before storage, and helps with edge retention. JMHO.

-There are no visible signs that a razor will require stropping, other than the fact that it should be stropped before shaving. Trust me, your face will tell you if it requires more. This only comes with experience.

-I think you are confused about the purpose of stropping. There is no sharpening going on (except at perhaps the subatomic level), hence no concern required about metal removal. Unless your strop is pasted, which can remove metal fairly quickly, there is problem with over-stropping.

I hope this helps.

Blade has been well stropped
What I mean by this is that given the finest hone I have is a japanese slip stone at 4000 grit, I felt that stropping was the best way to polish the edge. I only have pasted strops. But I used the older one. This is what I did for long enough that the edge has a superior sheen. I do not believe I have forced this past it's optimum edge as three shaves on, it's still shaving pretty well.

Stropping afterwards.
I still use a sponge to clean off the crap on the edge of the blade after shaving, with extremely light touches, I would not consider it enough force to realign the blade. which I do know is the purpose of stropping. Straightening up all those fragments of steel that get bent out of shape during use.

Ending your honing on a 4000 grit hone is way short of the optimum edge your blade may be able to obtain. Having only pasted strops is another issue. With the tools you have on hand and have been using I can understand why you feel that stropping is not needed before each shave. Do yourself a favor, get to a straight razor meet and try a razor honed by someone that knows what they are doing and hones past an 8k level. If you can't make it to a meet send one of your razors to a honemister with over a year's experience selling their services and listed in the classifieds under Member's services. If you are happy with the results you are achieved up to now this will knock your socks off and you will see the light the others posting to this thread have shone in your direction!

I have a feeling you have been shaving with a sub par edge and have been doing it long enough so that you have gotten used to it. Maybe you have an easier beard and that has helped, of course I don't know. However the cold facts are with a 4K hone you will never get a great shaving edge. Many here have shaved off a 4K and it can be done and a razor can shave well however shaving well and a good comfortable shave are two different things.

As far as stropping goes it's one of those things that is considered mandatory. I suspect if you can't feel a difference after stropping it's because your edges are not up to par. By the way a highly polished edge means little. I've had edges you could see your reflection off of and they shaved terrible. Stropping not only dresses the edge but also removes micro rust.