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

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.

Don't fret about it... it happens to the best of us at times.

I have my dad's last strop from the 60's that hung on his barber chair. It feels like limp rubber, but if you look closely at it... there's lots and lots of nicks and sanded spots on it. He would have replaced it if it affected the shave quality, as after all... if you didn't give the customer a comfortable shave, he'd soon be going to another barber who DID give a comfortable shave.

As long as you can fix the strop, there's no need to replace it. If you get a "flap", you can usually glue it down with some contact cement, then lightly sand it if there are some proud bits. Sharp nicks only matter if you feel them when stropping.... If you do feel one, sanding the edges so the razor's spine doesn't catch and throw you off your stropping game should be good enough. The only caveat is to watch for grit from the sandpaper getting embedded in the leather, one piece of grit can cause scratches on the bevel and/or chipping on your razor, so just make sure the strop is clean before using.

Keep the new leather put away until the old one bites the dust OR you feel super confident you're not nicking the strop any more... But, like a brand new car, new strops tend to attract nicks, and I know that all too well.

Regards

Christian

You may want tot consider a practice strop. Most artisanal strop makers carry them.

Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

Keep the new leather put away until the old one bites the dust OR you feel super confident you're not nicking the strop any more... But, like a brand new car, new strops tend to attract nicks, and I know that all too well.

Regards

Christian

My next door neighbor told me that if you buy a car the first thing you ought to do is scratch it yourself. That way you get it over with, and as a bonus you get to choose where the scratch is! Maybe I ought to go ahead and put the first nick in my new buffalo hide strop...

Try practice stropping with a butter knife, it will help establish technique and muscle memory quicker plus your old strop will last longer. Once you do become proficient stropping your new strop should last a very long time.

My friend Mr L resents the title of this thread. He says he doesn't strop he has his sidekick Mr death do it for him. He's an expert with that Scythe and maintains it himself. (don't ask what hone he uses)

A strop is a tool and tools should be used and look like are used. I mean, do your wrenches and screwdrivers look the same as the day you bought them?

You don't want to cut your strop up but marks and things give it distinction.

please tell me that Raven strop of yours isn't all nicked up,, Say it aint so Nelson! Tc

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

My friend Mr L resents the title of this thread. He says he doesn't strop he has his sidekick Mr death do it for him. He's an expert with that Scythe and maintains it himself. (don't ask what hone he uses)

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.

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.