Thread: Something just isn't clicking

Yes, stropping is an "art", more than a skill.... it takes time to learn the "feel", never mind figuring it all out.

Here's a link to Liam Finnigans stropping at the Waldorf barber shop... if you ask me, he uses his strop "scary" slack, but it works for him!

Most of my strops are too stiff to strop like that, but my dads barber chair strop (back from the 50s and 60s in his shop), has the same "rubbery" look.

I would not recommend anyone use as slack a strop as Liam does, but I do feel it shows that one must not pull the strop *tight*, but rather just pull it enough so that it doesn't flop about. Light to no pressure on the razor, any pressure there is, should be on the spine, not the edge. The edge should just come along for the ride.... gliding on the leather. If the leather deflects at all, it should ONLY be at the spine, never at the edge.

Still, for those of you with a brave heart, here's Liam stropping one of his razors before shaving a customer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h1GC34yyKE

If you are someone who is sort of ham-handed and muscles his way through things stropping can be a real challenge. It's really kind of common sense. You keep the strop comfortably taught and use just enough pressure on the blade to keep in in contact with the strop.

Don't do what I did when I first started out. I tied one end of the strop to my Honda Civic and the other end to my son's Civic and got the wheels spinning. I thought "now that is taught".

Unfortunately my Civic had a bigger engine and I started pulling his down the street and had to run and strop at the same time which didn't work out too good. Not to mention the neighbors looked at me kind of funny and then there was my neighbor across the street with the pit bull he lets run loose. But that's another story.

Hah, "sort of". I'm a mechanic by trade. My idea of finnesse is a 48" pry bar and/or a 4 lb hammer. My motto is, "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer." There's no kill like overkill! "Sort of" isn't even in my vocabulary lol.

Needless to say I've had a pretty hard time getting a feel for most everything straight razor related. It's a miracle I've learned the light touch required to hone a blade and shave without leaving razor burn. My strop certainly isn't pliable enough to be used like Liam's, so his technique is out lol.

I have a similar problem, and now figuring that a mentor would do wonders to my technique...
Ask around for one. you'll only benefit from it :]

Your strop may be part of the problem, sounds pretty stiff.

Try adding some moisture to the strop, with a damp towel, just one wipe on both sides wait 5-10 min, shave, then strop. You can also add ¼ teaspoon of good oil and rub it in while the strop is damp. Wait a couple weeks and add more if needed. It may take you months to properly treat a strop adding a very little oil at a time. The water will allow the leather to absorb the oil deep into the strop. I wipe mine down daily with a damp micro fiber, it also cleans the surface.

Your strop should be flexible.

Also hold your razor at the corners of the tang, not on the flat of the jimps. Then use you thumb like flipping a switch to flip the razor. You will end up on the opposite corners. Now you can lightly apply torque with your thumb, to keep the edge on the strop, without applying downward pressure, just a little torque.

As said, the strop does not have to be super taught, Stropping at waist level helps. Add a lanyard, 18 inches of leather, para-cord or a shoelace looped around the hanger and over a doorknob with the door open, will put you at the right height.

Go slow, stop then flip and only use enough pressure to keep the spine and edge on the strop, the flex will get the edge. At 60 laps per minute, 120 laps takes 2 minutes.

If you muff it, joint the edge and re-set on a finish stone or barber hone.

Here is a good post from Razor & Stone, on oiling and maintain a strop. Leather 101.

It is flexible, but it isn't rubbery like Liam's either. A little wipe down and some oiling can't hurt, but it also got a pretty thorough cleaning not so long ago. I'll have to mess with it when I've got a bit more time.

Greetings from an ex mechanic. I remember the "bigger hammer" thing from my apprenticeship days.

The draw of the strop isn't the issue. I've always liked glassy smooth strops. They work just fine.
If as you say, you've tried everything, I would have expected you hit the right button at some point.

We sometimes get a similar question form new honers in that by the time they get to their final stone the razor has stopped cutting hair.
It is inevitably a bevel issue or inadequate work on earlier grits. The thing is you're perfectly shave worthy edge may not be.

At this point it may be an idea to get the razor honed by a known X-spurt to eliminate honing as an issue. Then see if it degrades from your stropping.

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

Yes, stropping is an "art", more than a skill.... it takes time to learn the "feel", never mind figuring it all out.

Here's a link to Liam Finnigans stropping at the Waldorf barber shop... if you ask me, he uses his strop "scary" slack, but it works for him!

Most of my strops are too stiff to strop like that, but my dads barber chair strop (back from the 50s and 60s in his shop), has the same "rubbery" look.

I would not recommend anyone use as slack a strop as Liam does, but I do feel it shows that one must not pull the strop *tight*, but rather just pull it enough so that it doesn't flop about. Light to no pressure on the razor, any pressure there is, should be on the spine, not the edge. The edge should just come along for the ride.... gliding on the leather. If the leather deflects at all, it should ONLY be at the spine, never at the edge.

Still, for those of you with a brave heart, here's Liam stropping one of his razors before shaving a customer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h1GC34yyKE

I am sure this entertains the clients.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Greetings from an ex mechanic. I remember the "bigger hammer" thing from my apprenticeship days.

The draw of the strop isn't the issue. I've always liked glassy smooth strops. They work just fine.
If as you say, you've tried everything, I would have expected you hit the right button at some point.

We sometimes get a similar question form new honers in that by the time they get to their final stone the razor has stopped cutting hair.
It is inevitably a bevel issue or inadequate work on earlier grits. The thing is you're perfectly shave worthy edge may not be.

At this point it may be an idea to get the razor honed by a known X-spurt to eliminate honing as an issue. Then see if it degrades from your stropping.

Good to know a smooth strop isn't necessarily a problem. Saves me the trouble of trying to work the grip back into it.

I don't think I've tried everything just yet. And I'm not ruling out the possibility that my honing could potentially be the problem. At some point I probably will look someone up in the classifieds and have them hone it, if for no other reason than to feel the difference.

But the reason I'm not looking at that side of the equation at the moment is, when I'm at my final stage and think* the blade is good, it is treetopping arm hair, and will give several close, clean, tug free shaves before things go south. And when they do, 5-10 passes on the barber hone brings them back to form.

Unfortunately, it's a problem that takes several days to evidence itself. If it appeared more readily, it might be easier to diagnose.

All good points mentioned and im only reiterating whats been said.

Strop should be taught not tight. If its tight the tension in your arm will transfer through you causing tension to your stopping hand equalling too much pressure.

Flip with your fore finger and thumb not your wrist, using your wrist to flip will make it harder to control your razor and you could end up rolling the edge.

Dont go too fast, your more than likely make a mistake, smooth and controlled, it aint a race.

Relax! Stropping should be enjoyable.