Thread: Something just isn't clicking

So, I've watched every stropping video I can, but I'm still messing something up somewhere. I can take a perfectly shave worthy edge off a Swaty barber hone, and within 20 strokes on linen and 40 on leather make it tug and pull. For the life of me I cannot get the hang of this stropping thing. On the bright side, I'm not cutting the heck out of my strop.

Either I have a tension problem with the strop, or a pressure/torque problem with the razor. Or maybe a combination of the 2? I was tugging the strop pretty hard to keep it perfectly flat, but I've since come to realize that's probably not the right route and eased up considerably. Now I keep it taught, but allow it to flex some as I've seen in Lynn's videos.

I've also tried various pressure types on the blade. I'm sure I started out a little heavy handed. Applying slight torque to 'force' the edge against the strop just feels inherently wrong, like I'm probably rolling the edge. Lately I've settled on light pressure, like I use for finishing strokes, but that doesn't seem to be making head way either.

I guess my question is, how tight do you hold your strop, and for those of you who also hone your razors how much pressure do you use relative to honing strokes?

I gave up hanging mine because I was doing the same thing. Now I just lay my strop flat on my dresser and run the razor over it, light pressure medium to fast speed, 40 strokes (20 on each side). I make sure when I flip it I don't hit it on the edge, I can get 3 of my 4 Wm. Elliot&Co. razors singing on the leather, The 4th I just got 2 days ago, I have it shaving leg hairs nice and smooth now (1000k 4000k 8000k). I probably will put it to the leather tomorrow.

I discovered the same - that laying the strop on something flat and hard makes things noticeably easier. But I am hell bent on learning to do this 'right' lol.

The advantage of the paddle (or flat on the table) is that you don't have to worry about pressure or bending the strop. Hint hint :<0)
The tension on a hanger is proportionate to how much you press into it with the razor. Try and make slow purposeful laps. Everybody watches the vids and thinks " Flap flapo flapflap flap flap " at 3 laps a second is the right way. That may take a year to get the hang of.

Pull your hanger tight and then let off so there is some ( barely ?) slack. Go lightly with the razor. If that doesn't work go lighter. Do 75 laps.

I only use a bench strop for my pasted strop, my daily drivers are all hangers. In the beginning I found that the harder I pulled on the strop that the harder I stropped the blade. Light tension was equal with light pressure on the blade. The roll is ever important and of course the torque come added pressure on the edge. I concentrate on keeping the pressure on the spine and speed kills. A nice even steady stroke, it is part of my shaving zen and there is never any reason to rush that. If I am in a hurry I should probably skip the strop and shave.

Apparently Jerry is faster!

The strop ain't supposed to click.
You should hear a "swish or swooshing" sound as to swipe the razor across it.

I have compulsive muscle memory breakdown. I am always finding myself pulling the strop too tight and too little pressure. My razors felt unstropped after 60 to 100 laps. There's a happy medium that can be difficult. Knowing the draw of your strop can help dial in the feel as well. Mine felt like glass improperly, not the medium it is supposed to be...

Originally Posted by Marshal

So, I've watched every stropping video I can, but I'm still messing something up somewhere. I can take a perfectly shave worthy edge off a Swaty barber hone, and within 20 strokes on linen and 40 on leather make it tug and pull. For the life of me I cannot get the hang of this stropping thing. On the bright side, I'm not cutting the heck out of my strop.

Either I have a tension problem with the strop, or a pressure/torque problem with the razor. Or maybe a combination of the 2? I was tugging the strop pretty hard to keep it perfectly flat, but I've since come to realize that's probably not the right route and eased up considerably. Now I keep it taught, but allow it to flex some as I've seen in Lynn's videos.

I've also tried various pressure types on the blade. I'm sure I started out a little heavy handed. Applying slight torque to 'force' the edge against the strop just feels inherently wrong, like I'm probably rolling the edge. Lately I've settled on light pressure, like I use for finishing strokes, but that doesn't seem to be making head way either.

I guess my question is, how tight do you hold your strop, and for those of you who also hone your razors how much pressure do you use relative to honing strokes?

I skimmed through a couple of your posts and a few others and it sounds similar to things I have gone through. The first thing I can take from it is that I think you overestimated the power of the strop. I think if it is honed properly you would have to do a lot of bad stropping to ruin the edge.

I am a poor stropper with six years experience and I just have to accept it. Part of being clumsy for me. I can do everything else well, and like you I verify my hone jobs through the lens of a microscope.

I went through a period where I did a good hone job but my face was irritated by the shave. At first I re-honed the edge before I had an epiphany. My lather wasn't slick (wet) enough. With slicker, wetter lather, my edge was performing as expected and the shave was close and comfortable.

The variables make straight razor shaving fun, but in the beginning it's hard sometimes to figure out the reason you are having difficulty.

Another time I watched a YouTube shave just for the heck of it, and I realized that my shaving angle was off. I tried copying it and got a better shave. All of this stuff comes together with experience, except that for me, my stropping will always be sloppy.

I haven't had much problem stropping but when I got my second strop it was in real bad shape.
A Jager Barber Supply Shell horsehide 2 1/2" wide strop with a rough leather treated horsehide second strop. It had been used in a barber shop then hung in my friends wood shop for around 30 years. Can we say dried out?? First I cleaned it with some 409 & a Scotch Brite pad to get the big stuff off then used saddle soap to really clean the leather. I had just got some Ballistol to use on my straight's & knives & saw that it was good to use on leather. This stuff is Da'Bomb !! Treated the Jager with the Ballistol pretty heavy & let it set a day or so then treated it with just a light coating that I rubbed in by hand. That strop felt so nice & worked so well that I treated my Koken Shell horse hide strop the same way & all I can say is Ballistol works well on strops & all slick leather. Less is more & always remember that when treating a strop. I have used some Fromm strop dressing & it is good but the Ballistol is so much better I think & works so well on many things That I use Saddle soap & Ballistol to clean all my leather now.

Slawman