Thread: To strop or not to strop. (Howard Schechter) Videos

Originally Posted by Longhaultanker

Even with my visits with Howard, I still strop multiple laps even with SGS 30k edges... largely because I WANT to.

And yet doing so degrades your edges.

I have zero need or desire to talk to him. He could take hours explaining why he does what he does and it would make no difference to me because I'm not going to do things his way. Hones and strops are tools, no matter how crazed we get about them. Each has its appropriate place, but the big difference is that hones measurably remove steel and strops do not. Since I predominately use pre-1850 Sheffield razors, I only remove steel from them by honing when it becomes necessary, and strop for daily maintenance. Had the original owners of my razors honed them daily for 160 plus years, they would not have enough steel left for me to enjoy them now.

Given some of the arrogant and elitist attitudes I've ran across here at SRP I wouldn't waste my time either. For me there's enough positive to piss away my time dealing with other.

Now you're getting personal. No need for that.

I have spoken to Howard, Murray Carter, Lynn, Alfredo Gil and had contact with Mastro Livi. I have tried each of their methods and found Lynn and Mastro Livi the best for me. Honing and stropping is a very personal thing. I have experimented with JNats, Japanese synthetics and Eschers and find the method Mastro Livi uses is the best. I like Mastro's Livi's loom strop because day in and day out the chromium oxide on linen and the skin give the best edge with very little effort. Mastro Livi says you should strop until the edge shines and then stop. Each razor may need more or less. I find the vintage Sheffields to hold their edges the best with very little maintenance. Mastro Livi's razors also need very little maintenance.

This is not about attacking him as a good human being or any of that. He seems to be a rather personable gentleman. The point of disagreement is simply stated, after the finishing stone 10 laps on leather is good 20 or more is bad or degrading to the edge somehow. OK so how does it go for the next shave? Is it all dramatically down hill from those first 10 laps? I don't find this to be true. I find shaving and stopping can go on for good many times before I start to feel an edge go south. Stropping works use it.

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Originally Posted by Longhaultanker

Given some of the arrogant and elitist attitudes I've ran across here at SRP I wouldn't waste my time either. For me there's enough positive to piss away my time dealing with other.

I've read this post five times and I can't figure out what you're saying. Could you please elaborate?

I think you need to understand that Murray Carter, Howard and Mastro Livi approach razors in a difference manner then most. They have very extensive knowledge in metallurgy. Most people who hone and strop don't go into the actual makeup of the steel and the best way to get an edge based on the metal. I have tried Howards technique and it doesn't work for me. I prefer after a 12k to go to a Escher or Jnat and do 5-10 laps then 15-20 laps on my Mastro Livi loom strop. This works the best for me. Each one needs to experiment to find what works the best for them. No one way is the best.

Originally Posted by BeJay

I've read this post five times and I can't figure out what you're saying. Could you please elaborate?

No. Headed to the showers to... shave.

We all have differing beards, whiskers, hairs, whatever, no real need to argue about it. Maybe the majority of people have a certain beard type that require stropping at different levels. Myself, like Howard, only require a few light passes, if any, on the strop. I'm pretty sure there is no winner to this argument.