Thread: Stropping is the work of the devil...

Originally Posted by Utopian

I've got about a dozen scythe hones. Have him PM me if he'd like to try out a few really nice hones. I'm willing to mail them, so he doesn't need to come to my house.

I never have cut a strop. I think if you start out each time as a beginner slowly and deliberately then you should establish the muscle memory to be able to do it on a mental autopilot without any further risk of damage to your strop.

I need a scythe hone.

Originally Posted by bluesman7

I need a scythe hone.

I would say I need a scythe to go with my scythe stones, but then I would need a yard to mow with it. So maybe I should just be happy with the funny shaped rocks.

The strop and I have become ever more friendly, although it looks as if it has been through a battle. I think it has character. I have a new piece of leather from PRC which will be replacing the original at some future date. Finally got some muscle memory and got a good grip on the simps to make flipping the razor much more easily, and I just relaxed. Like most new things, I overthink and overcompensate. I'm now sort of enjoying the stropping piece of this. Not a bad outlet and doesn't take too much time. Whew!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

One thing I liked that the 1961 barber manual excerpt suggested was practicing the flip before you ever touch the strop. Seems like that was where I went astray when I first began. Nicked up a couple, but as Kaptain Zero said, contact cement and sandpaper work wonders.

Here is the PDF, might give you something to go with ;

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...t_-_Honing.pdf

The flip is where I sliced/diced strop, I had to slow way down on the flip. Making it just right then speed up on the draw/pull part slowing down again for next flip. After nicking first strop so bad I butter knifed razor for practicing on nicked strop. I am heavy handed by nature and it has taken me a couple of years to learn the light touch. I collected the hones to sharpen but have held off on learning to hone for a while longer.

Sometimes the finer things in life take more time.

Stropped and shaved with a Bengall razor tonight that has 70 plus shaves on it using nothing but leather. Haven't used it for maybe 2 years. BBS in 2 passes, Aye...it's the work of the Devil I tell yee...

Originally Posted by bluesman7

I need a scythe hone.

Victor, I'd like to give you one, but I only have a dozen.

Do you have a scythe? If so I could loan you a couple hones for a few months after we get closer to peak season.

Originally Posted by Grazor

Stropped and shaved with a Bengall razor tonight that has 70 plus shaves on it using nothing but leather. Haven't used it for maybe 2 years. BBS in 2 passes, Aye...it's the work of the Devil I tell yee...

Clearly! It deprived you the joy of that third pass!

I enjoy stropping. It's a skill for sure, but of the shaving disciplines it is probably the easiest to get right in reasonably short order. For a few years I took stropping as the chore part of straight razors shaving.and I was using a black Latigo and a Dovo Russian type strops. What changed it, or at least gave me a sense of enjoyment and great results, was getting Kanayama strops, they are a work of art in my eyes, and the results I get make me treat them with respect. I hear you about results, yes all strops perform the same task. But IMHO when using one of their strops they have a great feel, slick draw, pleasure to use. My everyday strop is the Kanayama #70000. I do have a #80000 as back up...talk about SAD, must be the work of the devil. Did I mention, i also have another brand new #70000. Doesn't everyone....

Originally Posted by bcw

Finally creating some muscle memory, but a new PRC strop looks like it has been through the crusades. When one says "sharp as a razor" it is a fact. I have a replacement leather piece, but plan to use the museum quality piece until I establish more dexterity. I knew I wasn't going to be liking this stropping business, but I'm darn near born again. Pasted one side with some crox, so I can give it 10 laps or so just to make me feel better. Any hints? I think one needs to concentrate and just deal with it. Thanks for the chance to vent.

Practicing on your cloth/linen/hemp saves the leather. Then do a few very deliberate laps on the leather and you should be good for a shave.

Originally Posted by bcw

Finally creating some muscle memory, but a new PRC strop looks like it has been through the crusades. When one says "sharp as a razor" it is a fact. I have a replacement leather piece, but plan to use the museum quality piece until I establish more dexterity. I knew I wasn't going to be liking this stropping business, but I'm darn near born again. Pasted one side with some crox, so I can give it 10 laps or so just to make me feel better. Any hints? I think one needs to concentrate and just deal with it. Thanks for the chance to vent.

Have you ever watched Maestro Livi strop on his loom? I watched that video last weekend again, and even though I am using a hanging strop, I am employing some ideas from Livi's video. He has a unique style of stropping where he lets the razor do an x-pattern right off the edge of the strop, then flip the razor when it is completely off the strop. I don't do that, but I do find that if I slow down, use the lightest possible touch, and keep the strop taut, I seem to be getting better results.