Thread: Pre Stropping

I've stropped after the shave, an hour before the shave, and even stropped a few razors before I left on vacation. I didn't notice any differences in the quality of the shave. Now I strop before I shave but after I lather. It gives the lather time to soften the hair and I end up with a very close shave. Whatever works for you.

I've always shaved the night before and never had a problem. I don't strop after the shave, not wanting whatever is left on the blade on my strop. After shaves, I strop once or twice on a towel to clean the razor and leave the stropping for the evening.

I strop after shaving in the evening to help ensure that my carbon blades are clean, dried, and protected by a coating of camellia oil. I also strop again immediately before shaving, but this is probably unnecessary unless the edge has become oxidized through long storage.

Some persons including some honemeisters report that razors and knives should rest for at least 24 hours before stropping or resharpening. I am unable to tell any difference and note that professional barbers stropped their razors between each customer several times per day without significant issue. Most chefs steel/hone their knives daily or several times per day without issue. However some pro sushi chefs are reputed to keep two sets of knives so that each set can rest for 24 hours between uses.

I also note that honemeisters advise their clients that their newly received freshly honed razors need not be restropped before their first use (edge has not degraded during shipment). This advise is probably to prevent nooby damage to unused razor edges through inept stropping. While stropping an unused edge again before a shave is probably unnecessary, it is also probably harmless to the edge as long as it is done well, not always the case with new SR users.

Any difference of edge quality that might possibly exist between stropping immediately after shaving and waiting at least 24 hours before stropping is irrelevant compared to the the major improvements made through learning to shave, strop, and hone well.

HTH

I always strop after the shave. That way I know my razor is clean, dry, and shave ready for next time.

This was posted by Gugi in the Mentor section a while ago, I think it explains well the purpose of stropping. A few hours of possible oxidisation wouldn't matter much:

....I think it's best to state clearly what the stop does because that also explains why it is so important. It is not a subject of opinion, and has been scientifically proven since the 1930s that the strop's main role is to maintain the edge free of oxidation. That's what dulls the edge, rather than mechanical deformation or 'misalignment of teeth'.
Everybody knows how fast the high-carbon steel of razors oxidizes (including the so called stainless steel razors), and if you don't strop for a few shaves the edge is basically rusted through...

"..... the strop's main role is to maintain the edge free of oxidation. That's what dulls the edge...."

Very good. Sounds like some stropping before a shave is in order.

Originally Posted by Berthold

"..... the strop's main role is to maintain the edge free of oxidation. That's what dulls the edge...."

Very good. Sounds like some stropping before a shave is in order.

Yes, for me it seems right before the shave would be better; to ensure no oxidisation at all. Of course there's probably a lot of variables, a key one being humidity and also storage (i.e. pre-storage prep). I always use eucalyptus oil. A couple of hours may make no discernible difference...

I strop before I shave on weekends. However, on weekdays I strop at night to save time in the morning. I've never noticed a difference in the shave.

I shave in the evening and during the day I'll strop the razor for 2 or 3 sessions. That way it gets 100-150 strops before the shave. Maybe this is overkill, but I always get good shaves.

Originally Posted by samda

I've stropped after the shave, an hour before the shave, and even stropped a few razors before I left on vacation. I didn't notice any differences in the quality of the shave. Now I strop before I shave but after I lather. It gives the lather time to soften the hair and I end up with a very close shave. Whatever works for you.

Me too and then strop again after the shave, after I clean up everything. A little oil on blade and good till next time in rotation.