Thread: Just Discovered Palm Stropping

I watched the same video months ago when I was starting with straights and use palm stropping since then. Mainly for cleaning the blade while honing, prior to inspection. I do few x strokes on the pinky side of the palm (hypothenar). No trips to ED yet.

Originally Posted by ovidiucotiga

but i can't see how our own skin that has realy lower content of silicatesand the colagen fibers are not exposed due to the fact that we are not taned )..

Spend some time in my shop. You'll end up with plenty of silicates embedded in your skin. Also aluminum oxide, a little bit of diamond, some crox, WD40, Ballistol... Really, the whole package!

i dont really know about effectiveness on this technique, i will certainly try it.

as for some of us here being afraid of ending up in ER because you are gently and carefully dragging a razor across your palm? get real. you are scraping the razors “edge” across your neck and face. which is worse?


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I do it with lovely old wedges. It's just fun!

Besides......Chicks dig it!

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

I use palm stropping, and yes, I picked it up from that same video. Would I recommend others do the same thing? Absolutely not. As a 2 pass shaver, I only do it for the second pass. I don't think anything beats linen and leather, which I use just prior to the first pass. During my early days of straight shaving, when I did cut myself, it was almost always on the second pass. When I began palm stropping, those cuts all but went away. I don't know that palm stropping refines the edge any, but it does bring a sharper focus to my sense of touch.

Update: I no longer palm strop as the benefit is far outweighed by potential disaster.

Iwork in the ER... i'm a trauma surgeon...you wouldn't belive the things I have seen can happen from misusing a sharp blade...just last week I was patching up the fingers of a sushi chef...he was choping some stuff up and turned away for a fraction of a second to answer a coleague...ended up slicing trough the extensor tendons and needed reconstructive surgery and stiching...
I have my reasons to be affraid) I know it is a safe fun and handy way to stropp but the feel of the steel on the palm of my hand gives me goosebumps) rolf.
But that's just me...i'sure most people dont have a problem with it and with practice one can master this technique relatively fast.

Originally Posted by jmabuse

Spend some time in my shop. You'll end up with plenty of silicates embedded in your skin. Also aluminum oxide, a little bit of diamond, some crox, WD40, Ballistol... Really, the whole package!

What you said reminds me of a quote from Iwasaki's ''honing razors and nihon kamisoris'' book he published to aid barbeers who were misshoning razor and the not using stones properly.

He emphasised on the importance of clean hands and water when honing...also not honing in a workshop where dust and debry from grinding sets on all surfaces...

But it is true what you say...I do a lot of restoration work and the grinding and sandingndust gets in your skin...true...but I dont think itnhelps taht much

Originally Posted by ovidiucotiga

What you said reminds me of a quote from Iwasaki's ''honing razors and nihon kamisoris'' book he published to aid barbeers who were misshoning razor and the not using stones properly.

He emphasised on the importance of clean hands and water when honing...also not honing in a workshop where dust and debry from grinding sets on all surfaces...

But it is true what you say...I do a lot of restoration work and the grinding and sandingndust gets in your skin...true...but I dont think itnhelps taht much

These are good points! But I only do restorations (and a jillion other things) in my shop. I hone at my very clean kitchen sink, with plenty of running water. And I strop in my very clean bathroom.

i have experimented with palm stropping off and on through the years and honestly, I cant seem to detect any difference of improvement to the blade. Probably a good way to embed a colony of bacteria onto your edge if care is not taken but then again i have always had too much faith in my own immune system. The more I hear about Iwasaki and his methods the more I realize what a pedantic character this guy must of been, I couldn't be like him because i would be up at night thinking about all the errant grit particles floating around my house trying to kill my edge, Ignorance is bliss I guess. Ill take it clean hands is a good thing around sharp objects. Interesting discussion.

Originally Posted by Razorfaust

i have experimented with palm stropping off and on through the years and honestly, I cant seem to detect any difference of improvement to the blade.

I still do it out of habit but I can't tell if it does anything or not. Never cut myself but it does require 100% focus.