Thread: Cumulative Stropping

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.

What significance is that? I haven't the foggiest. Does it really matter? Search me.

Har har.

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.

What significance is that? I haven't the foggiest. Does it really matter? Search me.

Har har.

I’m not going to pretend that I have any idea if the microscopic rust forming on a straight razor aids or hinders either, but I can say with a great deal of confidence that (short of excessive rust obviously) it works nicely on a cutlass to keep it going.

I always thought it was because the rust was flaking off giving me a fresh edge, but who knows. All I know is rust bothers me less than the average bear when it’s on an edge.

This is a really interesting thread because generally, I’m a compulsive stropper. While I have a few razors I hate to strop because of the tang shape or balance, others I strop lot. The heavier the grind the more I strop ‘em...I’m not sure why.

Anyway, I usually strop 20 fabric, 50 leather after a shave, and 20 fabric, 60 to 75 before a shave. I’m not sure what it does for the razor, but it calms me and gives me time to let the lather sit if I’m bowl lathering.

It must not hurt, because I have no major scars

I'm with Harold. I had a Ern Ator Razor
It took a fine edge. And shaved well. It was the awkward for me stropping that was the only negative with the razor. So I gave it to a fellow straight shaver.
Haven't asked him if the tang/blade set up on it is to his liking.
Some of my other razors vary in their designs and angles and sizes of tangs. It all affects how they strop. And as with all things. Preferences vary. My favorite to strop razors may be your least favorite.
I do find myself looking at razors and the "stropability" being a factor in my decision of weather to buy.
My $.02 Ken

I have several strops hanging in my bathroom. I often use them all before shaving. I start with 25 laps on a homemade linen strop to clean the blade; then I move on to 25 laps on a zippy cotton strop from my Griffith Shave shell cordovan strop, then I do 25 laps on my Tony Miller fuzzy linen strop. From there, I do 25 laps on latigo, 25 laps on kangaroo, 25 laps on shell cordovan, and 25 laps on fast bridle. That works out to 175 laps total. It that overkill? Perhaps, but I have a tough beard and sensitive skin, so the extra stropping helps me get a very keen, yet very smooth edge.

Im a stropaholic.
Before a shave i will strop 30 linen and 150 leather. After a shave i strop 30 linen 100 leather. After a honing i will strop 50 linen 200 leather.

Does excessive stropping help, i dought it, can it hurt, yes! If you dont do it right. Remembering that barbers only did a few laps before a shave makes me think they had a better idea on what they were doing than me but i keep stropping and changing up types a leather. I dont think ive ever noticed a difference in the outcome of a blade with different leathers, but why not. JMO. Its part of the fun of SR Shaving.

Dang, 200 leather-I thought I was bad! We compulsive stroppers should start an SA chapter (1st names only, of course!) so we can go to meetings, have sponsors, etc. We can call each other, day or night, if we're about to touch a strop lol!

And by the way, those barbers just doing a few laps may have had several guys waiting for the chair. I would be surprised if many of them, after hours, didn't pull out their fine coti's, thuris, or what have you, and really tweak out some exquisite edges, maybe even stropping more than the perfunctory 6-10 laps. After all, there was probably competition in the trade for who gave the smoothest shave back in the day.

I had a Ern Ator Razor

Probably my favorite all-time razor, hands-down! I've got a couple that they will have to pry from my cold, dead fingers. About 6/8", quarter hollow, shoulder-less, smiling, humpback: the perfect grind and blade for me at least. And yeah, they take a killer edge!

Originally Posted by Gasman

Im a stropaholic.
Before a shave i will strop 30 linen and 150 leather. After a shave i strop 30 linen 100 leather. After a honing i will strop 50 linen 200 leather.

Does excessive stropping help, i dought it, can it hurt, yes! If you dont do it right. Remembering that barbers only did a few laps before a shave makes me think they had a better idea on what they were doing than me but i keep stropping and changing up types a leather. I dont think ive ever noticed a difference in the outcome of a blade with different leathers, but why not. JMO. Its part of the fun of SR Shaving.

wow, I do,strop quite a bit myself, but that is really something. ��
But, if it works, then keep at it.
Stropping works, no doubt

Originally Posted by RayClem

I have several strops hanging in my bathroom. I often use them all before shaving. I start with 25 laps on a homemade linen strop to clean the blade; then I move on to 25 laps on a zippy cotton strop from my Griffith Shave shell cordovan strop, then I do 25 laps on my Tony Miller fuzzy linen strop. From there, I do 25 laps on latigo, 25 laps on kangaroo, 25 laps on shell cordovan, and 25 laps on fast bridle. That works out to 175 laps total. It that overkill? Perhaps, but I have a tough beard and sensitive skin, so the extra stropping helps me get a very keen, yet very smooth edge.

WOW! That's a lot of stropping!