Hi guys,

I've been using a straight razor for a few years; no real problems. I have a Dovo 5/8, a Norton waterstone, and a Dovo XL - the extra wide strop. I don't recall the grit of the waterstone, but it's a finishing grade. I generally hone my razor as and when I feel it's required, which is probably once or twice a year, and I strop around 80 times before I shave.

Now as I said, I don't really have any problems with my shave, but I was curious about a couple of things. Most people use standard strops, which are narrower and require an X movement - that's not required on the XL, and obviously it's only advantage over any other strop. When stropping, there is a very slight arch, so that the middle of the blade does not make full contact at the end of the strop. The strop is leather, and I occasionally treat it to a bit of olive oil, and a rub down with a glass bottle; I have no fabric or pasted strops.

I've never had a razor stropped by anyone else, so I can only assume it's OK; is it worth adding anything to my routine, or trying a thinner strop with an X motion?