Thread: School to teach men how to shave. Article 1904.

It's all about the sound of the razor and the leather in both directions....for me anyways....

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I feel some descretion should be used on thinly-ground blades in doing this. Very light stropping on those to keep from damaging or weakening the bevel. We must remember that the author was English and it was 1904, so he may have been referring to more wedgy blades. I also think that a bit more slack in a hanging strop will accomplish this effect as well. I use mostly a bench strop, so I cannot slack off like one could with a hanging one so lightly contacted, or slightly lifted spine is the way I do it on my bench strop.

Probably not the best method for people who are somewhat new to stropping as well.

Any updates on the stropping?

I'm all over it !!!! My edges are sharper but smoother !!!

I stropped with an elevated spine when I was a teenager using a piece of pot metal junk. Should have tried to open a school.

Great article - thanks. I find it ironic that back then the advertisement for straight razor shaving was to save money by going to the barber. Nowadays it's about saving money you spend on cartridges. Some things never really change do they

I tried it and it certainly seems like a functional method. Definitely slows me down and takes practice, but I like it. I agree with previous posts that it seems reasonable to do it on something more wedge-ish.

Just when you think you might know what your doing

Great article thanks for posting.
Will try the raised spine stropping and report back.

I've been experimenting with this method on an 1830's sheffield with a so-so edge. So far, after three to four shaves, it seems to be holding it's edge. I'm not sure that I can say the edge has improved after applying this method to linen, cowhide, and roo strops, but it hasn't gotten worse.

Have a well used Filarmonica with a good edge but a worn spine. Rehoned her and went with the ~1/8 in idea- 6 levels of tape. Stropped her on treated felt and leather. She did sound different on both felt and leather! We'll see tomorrow morning what difference it made.