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I've been trying to follow the common advice of stropping with no pressure - just the weight of the blade. But I'm finding that unless I apply a bit of pressure I can't get smooth, consistent contact on the strop. Am I overdoing the 'no pressure' idea? Is a little pressure needed to get good contact of blade to leather? I know it's hard for anyone to say without seeing me strop, but what are your impressions of how much pressure you apply to get good results?
Think about using only enough pressure/"grip" nessiscary to maintain complete control at all times.
As you get more experience this will decrease and your "relative" speed will pick up.
My way of managing this when I got started was to use a heavy duty spring clamp to fasten the swivel end of the strop to the top of the counter so that I could lay the strop on the counter parallel to the edge/front.
The off hand is used to keep the strop strait and in place, turning your hanging stop in to a bench stop.
When you are learning the whole strop tension versus razor pressure thing is along the lines of the old "pat your head, rub your tummy" routine. The "bench strop trick" removes one variable for the time being.
And other far wiser ones will soon chime in...
Smooth Shaving...
it depends how ham handed you are. Some guys have real trouble using minimal pressure, no matter what they do it's too much. Not having that problem I took to stropping really easy.
I find if I'm using a strop with heavy drag that drag is enough to almost pull the razor out of my hand. That's how little pressure I use. You have just practice until you develop the muscle memory.
You do need to have some pressure, but that is not the usual problem. If I hold my strop very tight then I tend to really push on the blade. For me it is about the balance between the hands. Light tension, results in light pressure.
One other thing that goes along with stropping. as stated light pressure and remember it's not a race. when people start out trying to mimic the old time barbers they usually end up with a nick or large cut in the strop or at least it did for me.
Experience/practice will get you there, not advice. It took me many months to gradually develop a light, smooth, uniform routine - never had an "Ah HA!" moment. How much pressure? Less, definitely, is more when stropping.Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveA
I'm going to try that. I think it'll be instructive.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJC
Thanks!
This reminds me of spending days with my Italian Grandmother (Nana) trying to learn her Italian Sausage recipe/system.Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterMoo
Every time I would ask her how much of X she was using the answer was always the same:
"Use enough, but don't use too much"
I have a 3" strop and I find that when I pull it taught and lay the spine of the razor on it with no pressure that it doesn't touch everywhere. That's when I started using a bit of pressure. Maybe I'm pulling too much on the strop.Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterMoo
Practice, practice, practice. As MisterMoo stated no Ah Ha moments. It took me a good couple of months or so and then I realized that I was not damaging the edge any more and was actually improving it. What changed? I have no clue, it just started working.
You'll get there soon enough. Sometimes we just overthink things.
IMHO i think that weight of the blade is a little bit of and exaggeration. one can put pressure on the spine(enough to keep the blade on the strop) yet let the edge drag behind with as much pressure as you want. if you watch stropping videos there is always some give in the strop ( more than the weight of the blade it looks to me ).
I will have to agree with the others before me. It does take a little pressure, but not a lot. Speed is not necessarily critical, but good technique is.
Pull taught not tight and you shouldn't press the razor to flatten the strop that is likley too much pressure and you will roll the edge. Do x strokes they are the most effective at getting the entire edge. Should be done whether a 2 inch or 3 inch strop.Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveA
When I started out I was mindful of all the recommendations to keep the strop taut so I had the solution. I would tie one end of the strop to the back of my Honda Civic and the other end to my sons and then we'd take off. The only problem was mine had a bigger engine and I'd have to run down the street with the car stropping at the same time with my neighbor's Pit Bull chasing me. That didn't work out too well.
Then I realized you just had to hold it comfortably taut and that made all the difference.
I think your neighbor should have properly socialized and trained his dog.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
Do hybrid cars require less or more laps ?
Concentrate more on the motion of dragging the razor flat down the strop than worrying about the downward pressure on the razor. You should be pushing or pulling the razor, not pressing it down into the strop. Go a little slower until you get it & it'll become muscle memory before you know it. :)
OK - so there's something else not to obsess over. Some strops can cup. Relax a bit on the strop tension, relax on the thumb and index pressure holding the blade, go slowly/methodically. Be a sort of automaton slow-motion stropping robotic instrument. Slow, steady and gentle wins the game (sooner or later).Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveA
Even if you use pressure when stropping you have to remember that the strop deflects at the spine not the edge meaning the pressure should be at the spine. As long as the edges glides over the strop flat that is the main point. When I first started out I found that the more I thought about it the more problems I encountered till I just started doing it without worrying about it. Try not to over think things.
I think his neighbor HAS properly trained and socialized their dog.. sheesh! LolQuote:
Originally Posted by RezDog
To the OP, I believe there is an article in the Wiki about stropping and how the bevel changes shape with time and use, developing a curve and becoming convex. This means that stropmeisters among us will loosen the grip/pull on the strop, each time ever-so-slightly, to follow this developing curve and allow for max performance of the razor, before it needs to hit the hones again.
Speaking of things that cannot be measured, how's that for everyone?
When people talk about the art of stropping, this thing comes to mind... I'll admit, I never bother.
No, a convex edge simply means it needs honing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Srdjan
Totally impossible to not apply the slightest amount of pressure. It is controlled for sure and as you do it more it gets easier and is committed to muscle memory.
Just don't "hammer fist" it as I say. I have a co-worker that hammer fist everything and when it breaks he stands there like Shrek wondering what happened! You just laugh and say it is not gorilla proof ole boy!!!!
You will get the hang of it. Just make sure the strop is fairly taut when stropping. It is easy to release the tension and create the hammock effect and roll the edge!
Some people strop with a slack strop, some with a taught strop, some use no pressure and some use pressure, also some people don't strop.
Its whatever works for you.
Personally I like my strop taught . I don't use any pressure but I may turn the blade a very small amount into the strop, just barley enough to get the rite sound effects.
I strop fast as well but I have a super bendy wrist that lets me turn quickly :)
;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael70
When I moved to Wilkes County (1985) I used to hear old people say, "Ah swarr, 'at ole boy could break a anvil."
I have heard the same thing MM! I have also spent countless hours in Wilkes County on my job! Moravian Falls; Millers Creek; and other areas of course over the years! Beautiful country up there. There is a place (BBQ) that is behind an old factory building we use to eat at that the name escapes me right now. They had a decent salad bar and some good food. I assume it is still there. Has been several years since I ate there but then again, I don't get up that way as much since moving from the Weaverville area above Asheville back to the triad area.Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterMoo
This is where an X or wiper stroke comes in, particularly on smiling blades.Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveA
As has been said, it really is a question of practice. Take it slowly at first and watch what is happening then you will start to cultivate a technique that works for your razor.
That is something I don't remember hearing before.Quote:
Originally Posted by Srdjan
From the perspective of physics, it makes some sense to me. Best to imagine the situation on a very large scale... then apply it on a small scale. For the scientists among us ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by edhewitt
Gotta chime in. Read the whole thread and from what I can tell it comes down to the fact that muscle memory needs to be educated. I am probably the original heavy ham handed person around. After doing a lot of reading I realized that a bench strop was the answer since pressure applied could be gauged immediately on a non-resistant surface. Not having a bathroom where I could house a bench strop I devised what I call a hanging bench strop as shown below. I have a whisper of a stroke now with almost non existence pressure. I have one un-adjusted strop and find that I retain the whisper pressure on that one also.
Attachment 209441
On the scale of a razor bevel the changes would surely be so miniscule that it would be next to impossible to guage by hand particularly if there were a rotation of multiple razors in question which would necessarily require varying, varying pressures. [Yes varying, varying is intentional].Quote:
Originally Posted by Srdjan
I believe mine has elongated some quarter inches with the years.Quote:
Originally Posted by JOB15
I wish I could say the same :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Matheus
I remember Bill Ellis saying on his CD that he uses 3 lbs worth of pressure. That works for me.
I need to keep practicing the strop, I need to keep practicing the strop OCD !
No cure available, in research or in the minds of any straight razor user. The closest is an extremely complex 2,894 step aversion program that nobody has ever mastered. The best got to step 48 which stated go one hour without thinking about shaving implements, etc, or sex.
Check out the post in the beginners section, and you'll see just how badly I've been afflicted.
Man it's painful affliction, but lots of fun!
