Sloppy strop?

Hi all.

I've been at this for a few months with a full shave every three days or so. Starting to get the hang of the shave, but not do sure about my strop technique, or may procedure.

I strop with a very light touch, 50 laps, x-stroke, pre-shave. I typically make it through the first wtg pass with no issues, but things start to get grabby on the xtg pass. I stop and strop another 50 laps and proceed. Then repeat again before the atg pass.

I suspect it is one of three things that is giving me fits, one of which I've all but ruled out. A) poor strop technique, B) beard of steel, C) problem with steel of razor. C) is the one I've almost ruled out. I thought perhaps I had razors with poor quality steel/ruined temper/or sub-par bevel. However, I'm getting the same issues with all three of the razors I'm using which were allegedly (and I have no reason to doubt it) shave-ready.

Not much I can do about my tenacious beard except to condition it, which I've been doing.

That leaves me with my technique or duration there of. I would really like to get this nailed soon, as I'm on the SRP LE razor list and it's due towards the end of this month or beginning of the next. I would hate fubar this gorgeous razor that I've been patiently anticipating.

I don't know if I'm not making enough laps, using too much pressure, or what. I keep the spine on the strop at all times, even for the flip roll and the end of the stroke. I *try* to keep the pressure at a minimum, using only the weight of the blade, but this is difficult to discern.

I tried doing more laps today pre-shave (100) and things were going well and progressed through the 1st pass and was rocking along through the second pass when I experienced a little cut. Well, a little cut that I didn't blame on me. Already had nicked the nostril, the cut the cheek. So I figured I would add a little lather and noticed a very nice slice at the jaw bone I didn't even know was there.

So, any particular tips I might try that I'm missing. Any feedback is appreciated.

Thank you!

Spencer

A few possibilities here.
Who honed all the razors ? If the same person the problem may be there. So much stropping is unusual.
if there is no doubt about the honing, the problem rests with you.
Your shaving angle should be almost dead flat especially with a tuff beard & the lather needs to be optimal.

Many of us have those "mean-angry beards" - it is what drove us to the way of the straight.
And with a shave ready razor and a basic stropping you should (with practice) make it through the shave without re-stropping.
The trouble is when you need a perfect edge the most (learning) your edge is often less than perfect - we all have had the same problem...stropping skill takes time, just like shaving skill.

This is the part in the story where we suggest you try and go to a meet or find a mentor in the area. It's time well spent -

Learning to shave with a Straight can be, at times, like learning to both tune and play the piano by correspondence course. Mentor time can help bridge the gap.

And very soon it will come together...hang in there.

I agree that it would be best to find someone to check your blades and your technique. It is amazing what you can learn in an hour with an experienced shaver.

Maybe send one of the three out to a different honer and see if you get better results.

And just throw another possible problem at you, what kind of lather are you using? Is it drying out on you causing the blade to stick? Does it have enough slickness?

I was going to ask about how moist your lather is too, a dryer lather will give you dramas with lack of glide, which leads to more aggressive shaving, which leads to cuts and irritation.

I have a pretty coarse beard myself and can go three days and shave with my razor just only stropping 20/50. I would say maybe the razors need to be touched up or send one out to be honed by a different person and see what happens when it returns. I am still new to this hobby as well but i have a second razor i hone on myself and will be the first to say my honing skills are lacking i will reach out to someone with experience when i return home. But for now it helps kill time and boredom well good luck i wish i could you more advice but i am still new to this as well.

Thanks guys.

The razors were purchased separately, from different vendors, in different parts of the country. I guess it is possible that they were honed by the same person, but unlikely. However, they have been stropped by the same person for a few months now, so it is entirely possible I have jacked my bevels up.

Regarding lather, I was achieving a beautiful lather, but did notice that it was drying out too quick. At first I thought I was just too slow because I was learning. I got a bit more liberal with the water and now have a lather seems to last a little longer and shave a little more comfortably. I'm trying to get the lather pretty much as wet as I can without it running off my face. BTW, I'm using mostly Truefitt & Hill 1805. I've thought of trying a different soap/cream, maybe Mitchell's Wool Fat, but again, I think it is more technique than product problems.

I would like to find someone in the area that would be willing to do a little coaching. I'm sure that would go a long way towards making my shaves more effective, efficient, and enjoyable much sooner than it would without the hands on help. I'll see if I can find the page on how to locate people in your area. I would suspect there should be at least a few people on here from the Dallas Ft Worth area in Texas.

Thanks for the advice guys. That's what I'm looking for.

Spencer

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Good luck!

This phenomenon you are experiencing happened to me with an AOS Thiers Issard I bought a while back. The edge would quit mid shave, I would strop it would go again for a bit then quit. I suspect either your edge is a bit shy of truly shave ready or even it could be a flimsy over honed edge that collapses easily under a tough beard. The fact that the edge comes back a little after you strop tells me that maybe your stropping is not that bad and the edge for what its worth is coming back to some alignment. I think a complete bevel reset is in order here by one of our resident honers. If then this is still happening focus on your stropping. You might try a paddle or bench strop go slowly and in control, that might help take the strop tension variable out of play. I personally think that strops are rather forgiving I don't think an edge is rolled that easily if you don't take the spine off the leather. Just look at some of those old barbers whacking away at lightning speed on a slack strop and they still get it done. I am confident if you get those razors pro honed by someone here like Lynn , Glen or others your razors are going to shave well. On a side note, you mentioned that you condition your beard. Conditioner may make your beard feel soft but it actually strengthens the hair shaft by leaving a protective coating on it. Shaving soap removes your own natural oil (Sebum) that coats the hair allowing water to absorb better and makes the hair swell and weaken ready for cutting. Conditioner may be counter productive give it a try. :gl:

"..I'm using mostly Truefitt & Hill 1805."

One of the best out there. Doubtful it is a product problem.

I am just being curios but what are the three razors that have been giving you troubles? if you dont mind sharing. Pictures would be nice.

Attachment 198279

Top to bottom: Joseph Rodgers & Sons; Erik Antonberg; F. Baurmann & Sons.

I'm not using the Jos Rodgers & Sons right now because I'm not confident I'm stropping right. Don't want to compound the issue with the smilie.

Thanks for all of your help!

Spencer

Do you strop on linen and leather ? I go 25 on linen and 75 on leather. I am betting you just need more laps to begin with and maybe adding a small amount of water with a second face lather. I mean like touch up what's there kind of face lather. Watch your pressure and angle and see if things change for ya. I think that sums up what everybody is saying/thinking :<0)

Adding more laps on both linen and leather. I do re-wet the lather on my face and it helps some. My shave tonight was more comfortable and less bloody, granted I limited to wtg and xtg passes. I'll probably sick with a two pass shave for a bit until improve my skills.

Thanks.

Spencer

Wise decisions. Don't switch up too much at once. Just makes it more confusing to figure out. You will figure it out :<0)

Well when you feel confident about your stropping, the smiling edge is going to tackle your heavy beard the best. Smilers give an automatic scything cut even on a straight cut against a whisker because most of the blade is going to come against the hair at an angle, slicing rather than just push cutting. You can achieve this with a straight edge but you have to angle the stroke through the area. I think you will like the Joseph Rodgers performance as long as its honed well.
Nice group of razors by the way.

Thanks Faust.

I'm definitely looking forward to more frequent use of the smilie. I generally have success with a scythe stroke with the straights on parts of my face, however, that is also when I get the first indication that my edge is sub par. Instead of the blade just stopping, as it would with a push cut, it gets redirected by the resistance into a slice.

I have some CrOx in the mail. I'm going to try that on one of the razors to see if I get better results. I'm probably going to send the Joseph Rodgers to a honemeister. I have also connected with a member that is local and we will hopefully be able to meet up in the next few weeks. I'm hoping he will be able to pinpoint some flaws in my technique. In the meantime, SWMBO will have to tolerate a few days growth between shaves to allow some healing time.

Spencer

Sounds like a great plan. i'm sure its going to go well for you. Try to learn as much as you can and have a great time.

:gl:

So I received #169 of the SRP LE by Robert Williams. Besides it being a beautiful razor, I also knew that is was truly shave ready. My experience of the first shave (right from the box) with it was less than I expected, however it was better than any of my other razors.

Before my next shave I stropped on pasted leather (rough side), clean linen, then 100 laps on clean leather. Holy shaving sharp and smooth edge Batman! Now this shave EXCEEDED any of my expectations! It was effortless with a light touch (I was having to use more pressure which I'm sure contributed to my cuts) cleanly shearing my face closer than ever before on the first pass. The edge held up well through three passes resulting in the quickest, best, and most enjoyable shave thus far. Thank you Robert for a fine tool!

I believe I will be sending my other razors off for professional honing. I'm now sure that with a properly set bevel I should have much better shaves with my collection.

Thank you for your help!

Spencer

Yes shave ready is something that takes sending out to get done, in the beginning we all thought we knew what sharp was. Good luck. Tc

If you don't already have a lighted loupe consider purchasing one from the Bay. There around six dollars with free shipping. Once you can see your edges under magnification the world becomes your oyster.

TC -- Yes! My first razors were bought "shave ready" because I knew from these forums that I should definitely look for that. One of two things happened. Either, A) they were not or, B) they are not now after my early learning curve stroppings jacked the edges. I'm leaning towers the latter. Apparently my stropping has improved to the point that given a known edge was right, and I stropped it, and it was still good or better.

Spanky -- thanks for that! I remembered that I have somewhere in my house (have to ask my SWMBO where she organized it to now) a binocular illuminated microscope of the type we used in Plant Taxonomy to identify plants. Found it at a garage sale. Looking forward to getting home to do some bevel comparisons. And shaving.

Thanks.

Spencer

I hope your binocular microscope works well for you. My microscope doesn't work well for razors, it has to much magnification and it's difficult to position the razor in the proper position. My six dollar lighted loupe from the Bay works much better for razors. Good Luck

IIRC, its low setting is a straight 10x. It's not a high powered type to look at cells and such. It's more for looking at leaves, flowers, stamen, pistils, and such. Good for "hair" on plants. Hopefully it will do the trick. I have a loupe also for when I was in the field, but not lighted. Plus, there is absolutely no telling where SWMBO has "organized" it to.

SS