Thread: Push Stroke Inconsistent

Has anyone experienced this? I haven't worked out an inconsistency in my push stroke while stropping. The sound skips on/off if you will. Obviously the edge isn't stropping the entire length. Or, near the half mark the sound deadens again all the way to roll for the pull stroke, also shitty. On the pull it feels fine and sounds good. fine to the point that I am noticing the draw and the balance or weight even between the edge and spine, or rather the spine leading with the pressure and edge following evenly on the strop, with a consistent sound the entire length of the stroke. Trying to correct the lifting of the edge during push but it feels wrong. Different from the pull but also feels like more pressure on the edge.
Im using a fili banderillas 13, SRD 3" Premium I, I roll the spine using as little wrist movement as possible(in practice still) and stand somewhere around °45 to the strop.
I haven't felt any irritation but I'm giving myself a day off from shaving cause I haven't corrected this while stropping. I have a chance to mull it over and pose it to you fellas. I highly suspect change of finger grip that throws the pressure off or maybe the position at which I stand. Thanks for any insight.

Cheers

I think you may be overthinking this! Start slow and easy. When I first started I read somewhere, one second each way! Forward, back, forward, back. Take your time. Start your shaving routine earlier if needed to prevent having to rush! Most people find that it speeds up on its own as more experience is gained! It is a journey, not a race.


Mike

On my SRD Bridle strop I get a different feel on the push stroke than on the pull stroke. The feel is more pronounced with my wedges than with my hollows and the sound is more pronounced with the hollows. I don't notice a difference in the shave from my SRP strop to my Tony Miller Strop (actually my son's). I also feel a difference with my hand on the strop and I suspect that their is a "grain" to the leather which accounts for the difference in feel and sound. Just my experience.

Adam

Originally Posted by mglindo

I think you may be overthinking this! Start slow and easy. When I first started I read somewhere, one second each way! Forward, back, forward, back. Take your time. Start your shaving routine earlier if needed to prevent having to rush! Most people find that it speeds up on its own as more experience is gained! It is a journey, not a race.


Mike

That sums up my thoughts as well. Do not focus on the sound. The sound the razors makes is not that big of a deal. Just a difference of speed will change the sound. It's all about a nice gentle fluid motion. I found the tighter I held the strop the more pressure I put on the blade. Hold it firm not tight.

I can say I enjoy the pre shave a lot and give myself an hour for all my grooming. I don't rush into nearly all my work days! I did consider that it's in my head because the razor seems properly stropped. But why would it be mine own imagination!? Right? That stroke does seem to deteriorate when I think about it in the middle of stropping. Just trying to nip bad habits in the bud. Thanks everyone.

All good advice above. Also it may be the tension you pull on the strop. Or you may be just going too fast as stated above. Like everyone said practice practice practice!!!

I agree, do not be overly concerned about the sound. One of my best strops, a Tony Miller Heirloom #2 with a very light draw, makes a hiss in one direction only. I confirmed that by reversing the leather in it's attachments and the hiss "direction" also changed.

I suspect that at the subatomic level, no one does exactly the same thing on the push and pull stroke.

Indeed. Certainly, at the subatomic level, if one simply observes the act of pushing the razor and does not observe the act of pulling the razor then the electrons in both the strop and the razor behave differently on the push and pull. Quantum Theory speculates that by the very act of watching, the observer affects the observed reality. But why bring quantum theory into stropping a razor... seems a little over complicated...



Adam

Originally Posted by WW243

I suspect that at the subatomic level, no one does exactly the same thing on the push and pull stroke.

Originally Posted by aalbina

Indeed. Certainly, at the subatomic level, if one simply observes the act of pushing the razor and does not observe the act of pulling the razor then the electrons in both the strop and the razor behave differently on the push and pull. Quantum Theory speculates that by the very act of watching, the observer affects the observed reality. But why bring quantum theory into stropping a razor... seems a little over complicated...



Adam

Is it really reality or are the electrons that are bound in the outer layers still in a state of wobble, thus effecting the change in stroke creating a leather magnetic interference that you are perceiving in the feel and sound. Particulate matter discompensation.