Thread: "Finger stropping"

Hi folks! I have often noticed an improvement in the edge when I do some "finger stropping" (for lack of a better word). Sometimes, when the razor arrives back from a honemeister, it's all the stropping that I do. I sometimes rub the edge between my fingers (index and thumb) using oil, and then cleaning it for shaving using some soap and the same motion, going from the spine to the edge. Many of you probably do similar things without thinking about it, but it seems to make the edge even smoother after stropping. I just thought it was strange that not more people mention this.

BTW I have also noticed that DE blades improve even more than a SR doing this, probably because these blades are not normally stropped at all.

Never heard of finger stropping, sounds like a recipe for a nice cut to me.
I do palm stropping on occasion and always palm strop a new DE razor blade.

Before I put away a razor I have just used, I apply some paraffin oil - a drop on each side - and distribute it using my thumb and finger. I hold the razor with the spine facing my hand so that my fingers are not in contact with the edge of the razor. I suppose the activity compares to what you call finger stropping, but I only distribute the oil on the surface of each side of the blade and the spine and do no more.

Well, try to do it (with soap or oil) AFTER you strop next time. Let me know if you can feel a difference. It is also great to do when switching from one side to the other of your face.

I suspect that you are actually cleaning the edge of any exfoliated skin, soap, and other crud by doing what you describe. That may be why the edge feels keener afterward. When the edge feels like it may be losing effectiveness during a shave, I wipe my razor on a microfibre towel to accomplish the same thing.

Originally Posted by DZEC

I suspect that you are actually cleaning the edge of any exfoliated skin, soap, and other crud by doing what you describe. That may be why the edge feels keener afterward. When the edge feels like it may be losing effectiveness during a shave, I wipe my razor on a microfibre towel to accomplish the same thing.

That is possible, although I actually tested it and noticed a difference going straight from the strop to my face, vs going from strop, then rubbing between fingers, then shaving.

I will sometimes go through a phase where I'm stropping on the heel of the palm. This is usually off the smaller loom and paddle strops and also lets me feel for any differences along the edge. When I wipe the blade free of oil using a bar towel (a routine practice for me as I oil the blade after each shaving session), I will drape the towel over the tip of the middle finger of my off hand and then do one or two laps there to remove oil from the edge and bevel. I too have called this "finger stropping" to myself.

If you notice a difference with this you are much more sensitive than I am.

Or maybe you are getting a super foil edge after honing that your fingers can remove.

Originally Posted by 32t

If you notice a difference with this you are much more sensitive than I am.

Or maybe you are getting a super foil edge after honing that your fingers can remove.

Well, I definitely can. It is most noticeable when having shaved for a bit (e.g. going from left side to right side). It feels OK without "finger stropping" but if I carefully rub it between my fingers it is smoother. That could be just removing dirt of course, but I actually tested it coming straight from the strop as well, and noticed a difference.

Finger stropping, heard of palm stropping before, on the heel of the hand, done it a few times myself, lots of old barbers used to do it, seen Mastro Livi do it in a few videos as well, believe he recommends it after using one his absolutely glorious loom strops.

His loom strops are in a league of their own, nothing like stropping a razor on what looks like a strop made of human skin!