Thread: Help with stropping technique please

I have been shaving with a straight for about 9 months. I recently sent in my first purchased razor for honing and have been using a newly purchased razor from the same source. I got by on my first razor for about six months before needing to send it in. I thought I had my stropping technique down but I am now second guessing myself. I am at almost three months on this second razor and I feel, my face feels, like I need to send it in for its second honing already. I have checked to local help section in the beginners guide but didn't find anyone listed in Indiana. I was wondering if there are any members willing to help me with stropping, communicating over the Internet? I was thinking of making a video and sending it to someone willing to help.

Thanks,

INstr8

I just checked the membership list for Indiana. Found 76 members. If you go over the list and pull out those that have late 2014 and 2015 posts and PM the senior Members I'm sure they will be more than glad to help. You can also go to Advanced Search in the membership lists and put in your local and, if necessary surrounding locales for Senior Members near to you.

Thanks, I thought local members would have come up in the link I look at. I guess that was more for verified mentors and such. I'll give that list a look.

You were correct, verified Mentors available. Who, by the way, if you don't find anyone in the Indiana lists PM a Mentor in the state nearest to you for assistance. Electronic mentoring has been quite successful in the past.

Post a video of you stropping. We can all give options. If you made it six months on the first edge chances are you are doing ok. The second edge may be a different make or grind? Or it just was not as sharp as the first.

Is the sound of your stropping consistent? Are there slaps or strange noises other than the edge gliding on leather/linen? Have you started applying pressure or slack to your strop?

Nothing here about a refresh in the last 3 months...my razor normally needs help beyond stropping (ie crox/diamond) well before three months. Certainly your stropping needs to be dialed in to refresh but maybe your stopping isn't so bad and you just need to refresh?? More detail would help....I know someone on here is going be able to help you!

TX Shooter,

on my last shave pre prep I did 20 laps on the Diamond then 20 laps on the CrOx. After that i did 20 on linen then 60 on leather. I have been using MWF for the first time recently and havent been able to get a very good lather out of it. I am still trying to dial it in but maybe that is the culprit.

I have a project at work this whole week but will try to post a video. Will update the thread title when added.

The soap is not your problem. Use either the diamond or the crox. All you're doing using both is dulling your edge and wasting metal. The 20/40 linen/leather is basically all you need to keep your edge in shape. Sounds like you have stropping problems. Diamond and crox is really only needed after a honing or re-freshening of your razor. And it all comes down to if you had a good bevel on your razor to begin with. Like I've suggested before, try to find an experienced SRP member near you and go from there.

Agree with the suggestion to use the diamond or CrO paste. I've also found that some razors benefit from using a Barber Hone. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to which razor needs the B Hone rather than just the pasted strop.

I pm'ed some senior members last night and am awaiting their responses. I doubt i will be home at a reasonable hour today so i probably wont get that video done this week but thanks for the offers. Thanks again