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Just curious about folks stropping habits. My grandfather always let his razor rest a day between stropping up before his next shave. I learned that way and did it for long time. After some thinking on it and hearing some different views, I started stropping 20/60 linen/leather after shaving and 20 leather before. Just what works for me. Does anyone here still let their razor rest or is everyone a mixture like me. Just curious:hmmm:
I never stropped a razor right after using it. Not because of the rest the razor babble, but because I'm a bit of a heavy stropper and prefer to do it right before a shave. Don't use linen either strictly a Lipshaw Microtome stropper. 40-50 passes on the diamond patterned leather side, 100-120 passes leather side. Y.M.M.V.
Modern science supported by electron microscopes and metallergy data doesn't support the theory of resting your razor before honing.
Yeah kinda what i thought. Old timers had curious ways and they hand em down. On the other hand, I guess the old boy shaved with them:beer2: for fifty years and it worked for him. just wanted to see what the preferences were on the site not really debating the pros or cons.Quote:
Originally Posted by feltspanky
I strop 20-30 passes on felt then 50-60 on leather before shaving then 20-20 on felt after shaving. Been doing this for about three years and my edges are lasting a lot longer.
The theory of stropping after shaving is two fold; it heats the edge to promote drying and cleans the edge. Crud and moisture left on edge after will promote degrading the edge which equates to shorter edge life which needs to be honed more often.
As far as letting the edge rest........?
Strop when done and put it away ready to go in case I need a back up. I do throw a few strokes on as a "refresh" before the shave each morning.
The rest a razor theory is pretty much debunked by barbers back in the day who used the same razors day in and out.
As to the stropping thing do some research on the stropping forum for a post a few years old called "the grand experiment".
To me stropping is stropping no matter how you do it.
Before and after. Most before. Depending on the strop depends on the laps done
I do 20-25 strokes on canvas before, 50-60 strokes on the leather, and then follow a shave with 15 canvas and 30 leather respectively, then oil my blade and put it away. This seems to work well for me and my blades seem to hold their edges pretty well.
20 - 25 after on either linen or cotton. Let it sit for day to dry fully.
about 35-30 on leather before I retire and then put it in the draw back in position in rotation.
Out of habit and for the enjoyment, I strop about 20 on Scrupleworks or TM Horsehide before use.
Can't see a reason to change this.
Pre-shave: 60 on polywebbing and then 60 on leather.
Post-shave: 10 laps on polywebbing to dry off edge and clean off any particles.
I'm not sure of the leather type of my strop, but it's a "Jemico" strop ~2 1/2", with a raised nap on the "rough" side. On this stop, I don't actually use the smooth side. I just strop 60 laps on the side with the raised nap. For some reason, the raised rough fiber really seems to calm the edge to my liking, when I stop correctly.
I used to dry with tissue and leave the razor out to completely dry, before stowing and would get water spots in my blades. Now strop before, strop after, clean/dry with tissue and put it away. No water spots in a month or two.
I always rinse my blade in hottest water, pointed down, and pick up the dry backside of the towel and wipe the blade longitudinally while avoiding the edge. I then strop it on the towel to clean the edge . Rising in very hot water warms the blade, and all seems evaporated as before storing. Strop 20/40 the next day, blade closed. Up for next stropping, Twice the stropping job, shave... Then, it's twice the regimen before shaving with it again!
We must understand that water is not the same everywhere, so water spots could occur most anywhere with any water. I think best to dry well after shaving and store dry. YMMV
Gentlemen,
For me, every element of the traditional shave with the straight razor holds its distinct pleasure. And I give each its proper due. Stropping is not only a must for the straight razor shaver — proper stropping, I might add — but for me, it is also relaxing and therapeutic.
Before every shave, I usually strop 30 strokes on linen and 60 on leather. Depending on my mood, and also the type of strop and razor, I vary the ratio 25/50, 30/90, 50/100, and so on. When stropping on the Kanayama, Neil Miller or Tolorf, the number on the leather increases dramatically. Since I use only about six to eight inches in length on the strop — rather than the full length of the strop — this gives me a jolly excuse to practice my zen with additional strokes on the strop.
After the shave, the blade is rinsed thoroughly under hot water, dried thoroughly with cloth and tissue and then stropped five to 10 strokes each on linen and leather. This is only for the purpose of the final cleaning and drying of the blade, that's all. After a touch of camellia oil or Ballistol on the blade, the razor goes in the rack to be used either the next day, depending on the mood, or another time.
All this may sound like a lot of hoopla, but for me, that's part of the ritual — the romance of straight razor shaving.
I do leather before and hemp and leather after. I've always liked the idea that the razor picked up a little oil from the strop on the post shave session.
I only strop after shave, never pre shave
I strop after the morning shave at some point during the day or evening when I have a free moment.
25 on cloth , 50 on leather.
Pete <:-}
I let my razor rest, but only because my comb and my toothbrush insist on equal treatment. I think it's a Union thing.
Not a hint of hoopla in your routine Obie. My technique isn't as refined as yours so I don't vary the ratio as you do. I am pretty ritualistic and rigid. I also skip the oil these days on anything that is not going into to storage. All of my straights are stored in lined draw with a few Silica Gel packets buried in the back, so I don't have concern or issue with moisture.Quote:
Originally Posted by Obie
I do strop for the want as much as the need. If there is something called 'over stropping' I could be guilty. It's as much about the sensory rich experience as it is about maintaining the edge.
Before: 40 cotton/linen 80 leather
After: 20 cotton/linen 20 leather then leave it in the den until I get home from work. Oil then back in the box.
I don't have a linen strop, so I only do the leather one. Not really counting, but I'd guess about 20 to 30 passes before AND after shaving. I guess I could do with only the after-shave strop, but then I wouldn't know what to do while waiting with the preshave cream on my face.
I do before and after but seriously questining it it is required.
I'll do a normal stropping before I shave and then do 5 laps on linen afterwards to remove any that might be on the blade edge.
I've settled in on this routine; after shaving and drying completely, 20 on fabric and then 20 on leather. Pre-shave is 10 on fabric and then 50 on leather.
I started doing it before and after, but really didn't see the need for both. I could see the necessity of doing it after, so now, I do it only after, to thoroughly dry/clean the blade and align it. I do 25-30 on my webbing, and 75 on the leather.
It seems to be working, about 8 shaves that way with no noticeable difference in shaving experience. Will see how long the edge lasts...
I'm not promoting the resting thing, just posting this as a current example of where a mfg (Dovo) is recommending this. Would love to see this question under rigorous scientific experiment...
------------http://www.dovo.com/_english/interessantes.html#1
5. The straight razor I bought a short time ago no longer shaves properly. Do I have to whet it, and how often is this necessary?
DOVO straight razors are whetted in the factory for use (whetting on leather by hand). If you own a suitable strop, you should nevertheless take into account that the razor must first "rest" after use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed and dried, it should not be used again for at least 24 - 48 hours because the fine "fin" on the cutting edge straightens up again extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon (or stropped incorrectly by moving it backwards and forwards without turning it over), the "fin" which is necessary for a close shave breaks off. Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between.