Thread: Tape while stropping ?

Hmmm, Just had two of my razors honed by 2 different honers. Both shaved with them and said they were scary sharp. I am new to this but have been using a shavette till I got my razors in. Both of them pulled my hair and didn't cut it like the shavette does. I stropped them 20 times and tried again and again and again. Yes they get a little better but not much. I do know the one honer uses tape when honing. Does this throw the stopping off? Or do I need to tape the spine when stopping?

Originally Posted by Foxfire

Hmmm, Just had two of my razors honed by 2 different honers. Both shaved with them and said they were scary sharp. I am new to this but have been using a shavette till I got my razors in. Both of them pulled my hair and didn't cut it like the shavette does. I stropped them 20 times and tried again and again and again. Yes they get a little better but not much. I do know the one honer uses tape when honing. Does this throw the stopping off? Or do I need to tape the spine when stopping?

No. You don't need to tape. I'll say this though. Stropping is a double edged sword. You can make a good edge bad, or great.

I have learned to slow down and go soft. It works for me. All you are doing is aligning the edge and maybe giving it a polish.

Good luck!
All i

I have taped the spine of one of my razors when honing and I don't notice any difference when stropping it. A 3" would probably suit you best depending on your tastes.

Originally Posted by Foxfire

Hmmm, Just had two of my razors honed by 2 different honers. Both shaved with them and said they were scary sharp. I am new to this but have been using a shavette till I got my razors in. Both of them pulled my hair and didn't cut it like the shavette does. I stropped them 20 times and tried again and again and again. Yes they get a little better but not much. I do know the one honer uses tape when honing. Does this throw the stopping off? Or do I need to tape the spine when stopping?

When you get the blades back from a honing IMO they should cut the tops of your arm hair and at the very least shave your arm hair at the skin. I wish I would have know this when I bought my dovo.

Yea, stropping is a double edged sword. I have buggered up perfectly good edges by improper stropping.

There is enough deflection in a strop when stropping that taping a spine is not necessary.

Bob

Both said that the razors were shave ready so I did try to shave with them w/o stropping. I have been using goats milk soap as my shaving medium with a pre shave of baby oil. still get pulling.

I would refer you to the Shavette forum...in my experience, a straight is never as sharp as a shavette and so the feel is totally different. In comparison, a traditional straight does feel like its "pulling".

This is something I'm trying to deal with now, i.e. which do I prefer, shavette or traditional. So to stay on this thread, I'll say that it may have nothing at all to do with your stropping.

Originally Posted by cigar460

I would refer you to the Shavette forum...in my experience, a straight is never as sharp as a shavette and so the feel is totally different. In comparison, a traditional straight does feel like its "pulling".

This is something I'm trying to deal with now, i.e. which do I prefer, shavette or traditional. So to stay on this thread, I'll say that it may have nothing at all to do with your stropping.

I would have to politely disagree that you cannot get a straight as sharp as a shavette. It may not be super easy for everyone but I have shaved side by side with my shavette and straight and my straight is in some cases (shark blades) sharper and smoother than my shavette. In other cases (feathers) they are equally as sharp but much smoother than the shavette. The only time I use my shavette is for a comparison now or for extended travel. Just my experience.

Change angle and better prep.

Originally Posted by Foxfire

Both said that the razors were shave ready so I did try to shave with them w/o stropping. I have been using goats milk soap as my shaving medium with a pre shave of baby oil. still get pulling.

OK, then it is another aspect of your shaving routine that has a hitch in it. Never used a shavette but from the little I have read on them a straight will not feel the same and needs a little different technique WRT to angles. Is the goats milk soap you are using an actual shave soap?

Bob