How do you flip your razors?

I've been doing a review of my stropping technique over the past couple of days (I tend to critically review most aspects of my life every month or so - don't ask, I think it must stem from my childhood ;) ).

The main issue cropping up for me is the razor flip at the end of each stroke. The grip I have on the razor means that the flip is basically done by rolling the shaft with my fingers (while keeping the spine on the strop, of course). My wrist doesn't rotate at all. This slows things down for me at the end of each stroke - not really a problem, I guess, except my finger speed doesn't match my arm speed and therefore my stropping resembles, for lack of a better analogy, a "limp".

How do other people flip their razors?

James.

I flip with a twist of both my wrist and fingers. Start the flip while the razor is slowing, and don't complete it until the razor is moving the other direction.

James, if you don't have Lynn's DVD, his shaving video is still free to DL here on SRP. Download it and pay attention to his stropping. You can't go wrong with using him as a benchmark lol.

I agree with Ilija.

I am beginning to find that, while it's slower, rolling the shank between my thumb and finger like I would a pencil and trying not to pause too long at the end of each pass has improved my stropping and the intended results thereof.

It's awkward to learn though and I'm still not as good as I want to be.

I do that flip too and still have a bit of a limp. Don't worry about it. It's just part of the focus to keeping things steady.

X

When I just started, all I was focusing on was not messing up the edge and not cutting the strop. Since then, my technique developed naturally and so did the speed.

Thanks for the responses guys. Like I said, I'm not overly concerned, but I noticed that the way I was flipping the razor would have some implications for the future in terms of speed and smoothness.

I think I've seen the footage of Lynn's stropping somewhere before (was there shaving involved in it too?). I've also seen Scott's (honedright, right?). They're the videos that got me thinking about my technique as it is right now, and if that technique would ever physically enable me to attain their prodigious speeds (like, maybe in 20 years...:eek: ). I know time and practice is a major factor, but I'm thinking that practising inefficient flipping can only exacerbate issues later on.

mparker, you may have hit the nail on the head for me with that tip - thanks. X - it's nice to know I'm not the only limper.

James.

Speed is not a factor in stropping that you need to master. Good even pressure and uniform speed is more important. A slow action with smooth steady return motion is more condusive to correct stropping. Speed is a thing that comes naturally and should not be forced imo. If the technique you use now produces and good edge then you have it licked.

PuFF

The way I do it is strictly a thumb and finger movement. No wrist.

Anybody ever have a magic set when they were young? Remember that little paddle trick where something appears on the paddle then dissapears? The move for that trick in the magic world is called, well, "the paddle move," what else? (Ut oh...I revealed a secret...)

The movement for turning the razor over while stropping is essentially the same move as the paddle move.

Another way to get the feel for turning the razor would be to lay a pencil across the index and middle fingers. Then place the thumb on top of the pencil and roll it back and forth across the ends of the fingers. Of course it's a little different with the flattened shank of a razor, but not much.

And, BTW, regarding the speed issue, I agree with the others. It's not vital, it's potentially dangerous, but it will come with experience. I do think speed carries some advantages though, but don't rush it (pun slightly intended).


Scott

Quote:

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Originally Posted by honedright

The way I do it is strictly a thumb and finger movement. No wrist.

Anybody ever have a magic set when they were young? Remember that little paddle trick where something appears on the paddle then dissapears? The move for that trick in the magic world is called, well, "the paddle move," what else? (Ut oh...I revealed a secret...)



Scott

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I used to have one of those!!! I would have never thought to describe it that way but it's exactly what I do.

OK, that's good - sounds like my flip is OK. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that speed was my primary concern. More like an ultimate goal. I'm generally happy with my stropping and never think about speed as I do it but, you know, in those quiet times you get to thinking...

However, on the point of speed, does anyone have a view on friction and the heat generated on the edge? I'm wondering, since the edge is the thinnest part, whether the heat induced by (more rapid) stropping is beneficial?

James.

I just learned from an old barber that he was taught to use his pinky finger to roll the razor!

I've been practicing and it works good for me!

Man am I FAST!!!! Give it a try! :D

He is gettin real old so I'm cutting firewood in exchange for lessons in straight razors.

Well if I can buy a razor at a decent price and after some restoration sell it for much more I'll flip....oh you don't mean that kind of flip you mean with a strop.

Well first you need to start by moving in slow motion until you get it right. Then its kind of a fluid motion as other have said by twisting the fingers and rotating the wrist. This is one of those things that if you try to explain it its more complicated than it needs to be. You just have to keep at it and it will come and your speed and smoothness will increase.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

I just learned from an old barber that he was taught to use his pinky finger to roll the razor!

I've been practicing and it works good for me!

Man am I FAST!!!! Give it a try! :D

He is gettin real old so I'm cutting firewood in exchange for lessons in straight razors.

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Could you explain this a bit?
It sounds interesting.