Thread: Cumulative Stropping

I've never been one for stropping. Maybe... maybe... a dozen or so strokes before shaving, but really, stropping? Not that my honing is any great-shakes, but I got used to "tugging".

Cut to the present: Returning to straight-razor shaving after a three-year hiatus, I was confronted by adult-onset hand issues, unable to make more than 25-30 passes on my 3" Red Latigo strop. And then נפל האסימון (a "lightbulb" moment): I shave twice-a-week, and almost always select my razor several days ahead of time, so... why not make those 25-30 razor passes on each of three or four days prior to shaving?

In a word, it works... real well. Wonder why I never thought of that, before?

Yes....I keep a current rotation in my bedroom cabinet and as I strop one, I strop them all about 40 laps.
After a week or two, they are all really good. TBH, if I have time and shaved the day before, I still run them all 40!
Doing this, I can grab any one and just shave if in a rush.

Yeah, too much of that will make you go blind LOL!

Even though I have some wrist issues like JB (CTS in my grading hand), I am kind of a compulsive stropper, kind of like Mr. Sell/Jerry used to be. Some of you who have been around the forums for awhile may remember him-may he rest in peace.

Anyway, I will usually give every razor about 25 on linen and 60 on various leathers after a shave, and then again before a shave if I've got one or two in a week's rotation, a little like Tom. So I guess rarely does a razor touch my face that hasn't seen a good 100-120 laps. I really dig stropping in a zenned-out kind of way. Sometimes I'll even strop after each stone in a honing session, especially when I was still really learning each stone and its capabilities. Of I'll do a stropping "progression" on my vintage shells.

Does it make a difference? Maybe a little; no doubt the law of diminishing returns kicks in beyond a certain number. But I enjoy it, and my face does too.

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.