Thread: Cumulative Stropping

Originally Posted by JBHoren

And that's why I titled this thread "Cumulative Stropping": For me, with "hand issues", more than thirty laps at any one time is a non-starter; so, it'll take me some seven sessions to make those "couple of hundred laps" -- a two- or three-day process; hence, "cumulative". If I could do that many in one session, I'd never have made my original post.

I get it. I'm retired, and am not required per se to shave every day, and usually shave every other day, and once in a while go three days. Sometimes after shaving, I will stop on linen to clean the blade, then do 20-30 on leather, and the next day make up for the usual stropping I do. I don't think it matters how you get to your magic number.

I used to be a compulsive stropper but now I do maybe 10-15 laps on linen and about 25 on leather for the preshave then 10-15 on linen post shave and thats pretty much it, I tried doing like 50-60 for awhile but in all honesty it really seemed to be no different on the shave.

Yep, if i could stop at 20 or 30 laps i bet there would be no difference. But i just cant help myself. I bet with a minimal stropping after the shave, and two seasions of 7 or 10 laps would be enough to do the job.

It’s all part of the pre-shave ritual for me. 20 strokes on my ScrupleWorks linen, followed by 20 more on my Japanese linen followed by 40 on the ScrupleWorks leather and finish with 50 on the Japanese shell. Then I am mentally prepared to lather up and shave.

I have no idea if the stropping has any impact on the blade, but it sure gets me in the right frame of mind: focused and calm.

I have been taking out my DD Goldedge nearly every day, stropping it a little, and then putting it back. I shave every three days or so. I can confirm that this regular (compulsive) stropping is something the razor seems to love. I am also wondering is leather-fabric-leather is something that works even better than fabric-leather-leather, if that makes sense.

You guys are stropaholics. I'm like 10 strops on pasted canvas and 25 strops on leather after shaving, that's it. I can't imagine 200 times.

Originally Posted by NittanyGator

You guys are stropaholics. I'm like 10 strops on pasted canvas and 25 strops on leather after shaving, that's it. I can't imagine 200 times.

While I don't generally strop 200 times, I have to say that this has come from my own experience though. For me, there seems to be no such thing as "stropping too much". I remember once I was stropping one of my favorite razors, and started thinking about various things. I completely forgot how long I had been standing there. When I shaved it was as if the blade was purring and the whiskers came off like there was no resistance at all.

I have an elbow issue at the moment. I’ve tried the cumulative stropping, maybe 30 laps a day, and two sessions on shave day. I shave every other day. 20-30 on leather pre shave, 5-10 on poly 20-30 post. I notice no difference in quality of shave if I do a “normal” stropping routine, 90-100 pre, 5-10/20 post,as opposed to cumulative.

Really to each his own, if stropping 200 times works for you or makes a meditative routine that's great. One of the things that makes this hobby fun is we all create our own little systems.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

The old barber is turning over in his grave unless you strop just before shaving.

I guess unless you keep the edge well oiled the very edge will begin to accumulate rust on a molecular level very rapidly. Unless you strop enough before shaving you may or may not remove it.

Had thought about that too.

As I get up at 4:50 am, time is of the essence and while I am keen on the shave I am not quite so keen on stropping at this early hour.

I suspect your old barber turning in his grave didn’t start work at 4:50 am either.

Occasionally I strop for a week in advance, or at least for the next day, and to avoid any corrosion I use a Ballistol applicator for the edge. At the most, I give the blade then 12 laps prior to the shave, sometimes none at all.

Truth be told, I am not even convinced that any noticeable corrosion would form within 24 hrs, but who knows?
It is not important enough for me to reach for a microscope.
To me straight shaving shouldn’t be made into a science and if our granddads got by without a microscope, so can I.



B.