Thread: Newb Stropping Advice

Hi Everyone,
I’m new to straight razor shaving (about fifteen shaves over the past 30 days) but I’m hooked. I’m using a Dovo 5/8 from thewellshavedgentleman.com. Bought the kit.
My first shave was glorious. I wanted to shave my head when I’d gotten every last whisker off my cheeks, neck, chin and upper lip. Since then I’ve had some rough patches though and I think my stropping technique is to blame, so I’m hoping for a little assistance from you experienced shavers/stroppers/honers. Some days it feels like the blade’s not sharp enough. It pulls quite a bit.
I’ve been stropping on the paddle strop – 25 round trips according to TWSG’s instructions included with the kit and I’m a bit worried that my technique isn’t quite right. Although I’ve watched the videos on the site here and some of Lynn’s video.
After stropping, I can usually shave the fine hairs on the inside of my forearm (can’t remember where I read that was a good test but it seemed reasonable to me although now I have partially-shaven forearms). But I almost never can do the hair test. The blade won’t cut it. It just bends and glides over the edge.
I bought the unpasted paddle thinking that I’d not need to hone the blade for a while (6 months to a year from what I read) and figured it’d be best if I sent it away for that the first time (although, I also bought Lynn’s video and, after watching the honing section hope to pick up an e-bay cheapie to practice honing on).
Anyhow. I don’t know if I should increase the number of strops I do. Is there such a thing as over stropping? I can’t imagine that the blade will need a honing for a long while yet. Could I be wrong about that?
Sorry for the size of this post. I’ve never posted anything on any forum anywhere so I’m a newbie in that sense too. Thanks in advance for your help.

It could be dull by now.

Thanks Alan.
Would you suggest honing on a stone or pasting my paddle strop?
John

I would guess the number of shaves you have had is about what you'll get before needing a touch-up honing session.

If you want to paste your strop fine but then you won't have a plain strop for everyday stropping. You can't use a pasted strop everyday. So you have three choices, send it out for sharpening, paste the strop and get another plain one or buy a hone.

I would concur with the other guys here that it's likely your blade is dull. Fifteen shaves is a lot to do without any touch-ups.

It may be worth it for you to buy another strop and dedicate one of them to strop paste, leaving the other as an everyday plain strop.

Personally, I hone my razors *very* occasionally, but every few shaves I take the razor for a few strokes on a pasted strop just to freshen up the edge to keep it super keen. It's a really good investment.

Since youstarted with a well honed razor that was shaving well I don't think you can be too far off from a decent, refreshable edge. I would suggest bying pastes for the un-pasted paddle you requested in your set and try that route. In all likelyhood it will be enough to get you back in the game. Improper stropping might have degraded the edge to where a hone is needed but I'd go with pastes for now since you already have the paddle. You should have three plain sides and one red one. Only paste the plain honey brown sides. maybe 1.0 and 0.5 will be enough to get you shaving again.

I can always paste it for you but since it is already there buying pastes to apply yourself is the easiest route.

Tony

Thanks Tony, Osiris and Big Spendur.
That's all very helpful advice
JZ

I have a barbers hone that I use to refresh a blade, but I would only go that route if you feel comfertable honing a blade.

Would a 12k stone be good for freshening up an edge in this case? Or is it not needed - if you had only had a Norton 4k/8k would it be good to do a quick 3/3, 1/3, 1/5 pyramid?

Remember that not everone is a pasted strop fan. Personally I never use them. In this case I would either use my coticule or my 12K stone and just do a dozen or so passes and then check if it is enough. I usually find when I use the coticule about 30 passes will put a razor that is beginning to fail or shave uncomfortably back into top form. I know some guys do far fewer passes. It depends on your finesse with the stone.