Thread: Different Grips for Different Razors?

I was bored last night and stropped all my blades (a bit of practice never hurts...). I noticed that I use slightly different grips depending on what razor I strop. E.g. My Heljestrand has a thumb notch on the underside of the shank, and I grip this a little differently to other blades. My Friodur has a thicker shank than my other razors, and I hold this differently too. I also noticed that I'm a lot quicker and smoother on wedges than I am on hollows.

It's something I've never really noticed before or done deliberately - I tend to strop by feel and ear, and my grip obviously adjusts itself so that I get the draw feeling and 'schick' sound.

But I've seen in the barber's manual in the library that the recommended grip doesn't vary - thumb on top of shank, fingers underneath, roll the shank between thumb and fingers.

Is this a fundamental flaw in stropping technique? Has anyone else noticed they change grips? I am an advocate of the "whatever works" school, but I wonder whether a homogenous grip might work better...

James.

James,

I've noticed my grip changes for both stropping and shaving. I hold my Dovo one way with my off hand for part of the shave and hold my Wapienica differently for the same part of the shave. Same goes with stropping. I actually have a better grip on the Wapienica.

I think this has to do, with my razors at least, with the difference in size and weight.

Steve - yeah, I'm sure the size and weight has a lot to do with it, now you mention it. Do you find that the grip affects the smoothness of your stropping?

James.

Not so much the grip. When stropping my Wapienica, I can do the finger roll that you read about in the barber manuals because the whole razor is a little smaller (both blade and scales) so it's more manageable in my hand and that results in a smoother stropping. My Dovo is larger and I've never really gotten the hang of the finger roll with it so I resorted to more wrist action. I get good results either way but I'm more comfortable when I can do the finger roll.

I don't have any other razors so I have nothing else to compare.

Yeah - sigh - it all comes back to that finger roll. Curse my genetically inherited lack of dexterity.

James.

Jimbo,

If you strop comfortably and get the desired results -

Originally Posted by steve

Jimbo,

If you strop comfortably and get the desired results -

Very true Steve, very true. Cheers mate.

James.