Thread: Flip or flop

Originally Posted by 400E

Folks,
See my recent thread about my ongoing attempt to improve my stropping (after practicing for a couple years!)

I am basically overhauling my stropping technique and so recently re-watched AFDavis' 2 videos. Boy, what a smooth and fluid motion he has.

So -- I am trying to really master "the flip" and may be doing it right or may be doing it wrong. I'm looking for some advice.

When I try the flip, I find that it seems that I either need to use the tips of thumb and first finger to rotate the razor, or my ring/little finger. Does this make sense? Which one is the right "motor" for this motion?

Not sure about right or not, but I use my index finger and middle finger opposed against my thumb. There are 4 corners; my thumb moves between the inner corners, and my index/middle fingers move between the two far corners (the corners on the spine side). The roll of the razor should end when the razor is flat on the strop, in both directions. So my thumb is the guide that indexes the blade flat onto the strop, and no further!

An exaggerated version of the flip is similar to the way some people twist a car key to start a car. Try using a car key to start a car without using your wrist. You see how the thumb kind of "pushes" one side of the key, clockwise, to start the engine? You see how the fingers kind of push in a rolling opposition? Stropping has a similar feel, but the "key" is much smaller.

Put another way the thumb "rocks" the razor back and forth, cradled by the index and middle finger. The contact point of the tip of the index and middle finger on the razor changes slightly for control through the range of motion. Full control of both the flip and the pressure is useful.

Thanks, AFDavis!!! I'm printing this up and re-reading it before the next shave. Very detailed.

The other point, which may have already been covered in this thread, but even if so, bears repeating, is that when I watch your video, the razor comes down after the flip a little delayed from the moment of the razor reversing direction. It looks kind of elegant on the video. I am trying to recreate that gentle, delayed descent, but not coming naturally just yet...

Originally Posted by 400E

Thanks, AFDavis!!! I'm printing this up and re-reading it before the next shave. Very detailed.

The other point, which may have already been covered in this thread, but even if so, bears repeating, is that when I watch your video, the razor comes down after the flip a little delayed from the moment of the razor reversing direction. It looks kind of elegant on the video. I am trying to recreate that gentle, delayed descent, but not coming naturally just yet...

I think it's just in practice that the flip is controlled, in time, and the razor direction is changed before the razor touches down. It's really pretty easy.