Thread: Stropping Help

Good day all, I need help/suggestions just received my new razor (first one) and strop. I stropped it before I started as directed,but there is a problem. At both ends of the strop there are hair line cuts across it, there are more to the scale side than the tip. I assume I am doing something wrong as I turn the blade, looking for suggestions before I mess up my new strop.

Regards WFJ

You probably flipped the razor on the edge side as opposed to flipping it on the spine, a common beginners mistake. Here's an example of correct stropping:

https://youtu.be/vyV6J4X0-2g

You may also want to practice stropping with a butter knife until you learn proper stropping technique. In the mean time lay your strop on a counter top when stropping.

Slow down. Tc

Start to lift the edge off the strop before you come to a complete stop, and start moving just before the edge touches down again. It can happen that when you stop, or start to move again you can move the razor the wrong way just slightly as you roll/finish the roll. This will lead to the marks you describe. Also make sure if you are using x-strokes (razor is wider than the strop) you do not start to move the razor over until the edges is clear.

Oh and as there are more marks on the scale side, be sure to keep the blade flat, touching the strop across the full width using no downward pressure.

Concentrate on keeping the blade parallel to the strop, sounds like you're lifting your hand at the end of the stroke and digging in the point. Stropping is a simple motion but really takes time and practice to do well and efficiently. I imagine you may be pulling it too taut. Try using enough tension to have it lay flat but no more than that and even a little less, it will allow the strop to conform to the blade and will keep you from feeling like you need to get the toe in contact by lifting your hand, if you aren't stropping the toe with your normal stroke try slight x stroke. Start with the whole blade on the strop and as you run down the strop slide your hand laterally away from the strop until you have 2/3 of the blade still in contact with the strop surface.

Originally Posted by wfj

Good day all, I need help/suggestions just received my new razor (first one) and strop. I stropped it before I started as directed,but there is a problem. At both ends of the strop there are hair line cuts across it, there are more to the scale side than the tip. I assume I am doing something wrong as I turn the blade, looking for suggestions before I mess up my new strop.

Regards WFJ

Sound like"hesitation cuts". You stop at the end of the stroke & then any slight lateral movement cuts the strop or you are flipping the razor whilst still travelling in the original direction. In any case you neeed to correct your technique ASAP or your next post will be about your dull razor
The video in Badsgister's post shows copybook technique as does this one:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...tml#post713720

Forgot about that one, great tutorial!

Many starting out stropping tend to end up with a smaller cheaper strop, on the basis that you may 'Cut it'. Those strops give you a harder job to strop and learn the stoke at 2 inches say. Buy a 3 inch strop. Saves you making any lateral movements on the strop, no X strokes. You can pick one up from a tad over $50. That way you can get the 'stroke' right. Develop muscle memory, so you can re-produce the same stroke movement every time. Most who start out, will wreck a strop, no big deal, just don't make your 1st strop an expensive Shell strop worth over 2 hundred. By the time you have your stroke right, you more than likely won't nick one again, then get yourself that nice strop. Enjoy the 3 inch strop, just go up and back on it, hard to nick it unless you are furiously trying to go fast.

Hehe....