Thread: Stropping Before the Shave

This may be a stupid question, sorry to waste your attention if it is, but...

Is there anything particularly advantageous with regard to shaving right after you strop?
What if I would say prep the razor with stropping the night before to shave with in the morning?
I only ask because a few videos I've watched specifically mention stropping prior to shave as if to imply right before.
Is there a temperature aspect that the blade warms up some from the laps and to let it cool down overnight would be a worsened shave?

Thanks in advance, sorry again if this is ridiculous to ask just want to cover all the bases.

Max

I think most people strop their razor immediately before shaving with it. I strop mine the night before and can't see it being a problem.

Bob

I strop just before the shave, helps 'align' the blade for the shave, (or so I've been told).
Quite often I'll do another 20 laps or so immediately after the shave as well, but that's mainly to clean up the blade edge for storage.

I think it becomes part of the shave process. Lots of people strop after applying shave cream to their face. This time is used to let the cream soften the beard so you make use of this time.
I think about your question like this: All the pros who have honed my razors included a note that the razor is shave ready and not to strop it. The razors have all been in the mail for days and more days may pass before I use the razor. One night is nothing compared to this.

I think it is a pretty good question.
Now...I've done it both ways plus some more. My pathology is that I 'believe' that if I let a razor sits after it has received a post shave stropping...say for several weeks....I usually feel like the blade needs to take a few laps on the SG 20K before stropping again. This is irrational but I think it has something to do with how much I enjoy using the finish hone. It is probably making my razors disappear faster.

Good call. I'd like to syrup in the morning but I get up a quarter to 5 already can't spare much more time in the mornings, maybe when I'm more proficient andcan knock it off in like a minute and a half or 2.
Thanks for the feedback guys.

Then get up at 4:30 , that's not to much. , it's well worth it

I'm gonna say something different Iwasaki said, paraphrasing, just like you hone a razor when it's necessary, you strop it when it's necessary. I found that interesting and I tried it. After my shave, I'd wipe the blade with some alcohol on a tissue and leave it until my next shave, normally a few days later. No difference. Then 2 shaves later I notice it pulls a little, so give it 40 laps on leather and it's fine again.

However this was just an experiment, I always strop after the shave to clean it up. The razor's edge will probably last longer if properly stropped after (or before) each shave, meaning less honing will be required in the long run.

Recently I've made a strop similar to the back side of a Kanoyama #3, so kind of like suede leather and I use it exactly for the purpose of cleaning the edge after a shave. It's like stropping on fabric, but finer. I also strop on that now when I get off the hones. I found that in fact, I can shave off of that strop without issues, but OCD demands I immediately strop on slick leather afterwards....or, you know, the Universe will collapse.

In the end, to me personally it's less hassle to strop after the shave, like 20 laps, then fiddle with a tissue and alcohol, trying not to damage the edge in the process of wiping.... But it's possible.

This doesn't relate to a straight razor but I've read about running DE and SE blades over denim to sharpen and prolong the life of the blade. I noticed from time to time Feather Pro blades need about 3-4 shaves to get a really smooth shave. Just for the fun of it I took my feather pro blade in my Mongoose razor and stropped it on the rough leather on my modular strop. I really made the blade less harsh. I then tried it on the smooth leather and it was really good. Now I do it when I first put in a blade and after 6 or 7 shaves to prolong the live for a couple more. It's not the money, just curious to see if there is merit to it. Like straights, the cutting edge should trail. Guess stropping does work.

Originally Posted by Srdjan

In the end, to me personally it's less hassle to strop after the shave, like 20 laps, then fiddle with a tissue and alcohol, trying not to damage the edge in the process of wiping.... But it's possible.

I like to drink the alcohol then strop on the palm of my hand about 20 laps. Look to see if I have any fingers left to stretch the skin with, and start shaving !