Thread: When to Strop...

Gentlemen,

I strop 30/60 or 60/120 ratios before the shave. After the shave to further clean and dry the razor, I do a 15/15 ratio.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

I strop 30/60 or 60/120 ratios before the shave. After the shave to further clean and dry the razor, I do a 15/15 ratio.

+1...that's about my routine as well. Works good for me...

I've posted this many, many times:

As with Everything about this Art 99,99% is 'Personal Preference' and that includes 'Post Shaving'.

Now; 'Personally' I rinse the razor under running hot water and then apply a drop of Dawn liquid dish soap to each side of the blade and work it in well. Then again rinse under running hot water. I find that this removes the residues that I find with shaving soaps. Shaving soaps contain ingredients to not only make a lather but to condition the skin etc. The dish soap removes those ingredients as it's intended to remove oils, grease etc.

Now since it's 2014 and not 1836 after carefully drying the blade I take advantage of a thing called a 'Blow Dryer' on the blade and briefly on the pivot to help dry it as much is reasonably possible.

Any microscopic particles of what ever should be removed Before the Next Shave with the Linen . And the leather will further refine the edge.

My typical routine is 25-30 on linen and then 50-60 on leather. However that's for daily shaving I have a different routine for after honing.

As I've said, this is just my 'Preference'.

The reason I don't strop after the shave is the same reason most here do. It does remove residual "gunk" from the razor. The problem is that it puts it on the strop. I clean my razor by "stropping" it a few times on a microfiber towel sprayed with Windex. That cleans the blade without depositing anything on the strop. I'm not against treating my strop, and use lather when I do, but I'm not going to treat it with stuff I'm trying to remove from my razor.

I always do complete stropping post shave. Always natural linen first and then a choice of leather to finish with. With my failing memory I always know my rotation razors are all ready to shave with. I know my regular rotation straights well so number of passes on linen and leather vary with the razor used.

This is one of those do you believe type of things so you'll get umpteen answers.

Personally, I do around 20 laps on linen and 60 on leather. I never strop after.

So to summarise, you should definitely strop immediately before shaving. Whether you strop immediately after shaving as well is up to you, and there are arguments both for and against presented above.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

So to summarise, you should definitely strop immediately before shaving. Whether you strop immediately after shaving as well is up to you, and there are arguments both for and against presented above.

James.

Oh bum, i had best change my routine, i always strop after

Originally Posted by Jimbo

So to summarise, you should definitely strop immediately before shaving. Whether you strop immediately after shaving as well is up to you, and there are arguments both for and against presented above.

James.

A short summary of the summary, "we just do what we please" .

Bob

Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime ORIGINAL 1970 - YouTube