Thread: Stropping after Honing

Man! Some of you guys strop a LOT more laps than I do. I don't ever seem to have trouble with my shaves. I wonder if it's a difference in expectation.

So, a year from now you will shave and wonder how you shave with an edge you produced today.

It is just experience, it takes a good year to learn to strop to the point where you are improving an edge. Longer to realize the difference, and longer to perfect it. Add learning to hone and to shave to the mix…

If you strop daily that’s only 365 time in a year, it takes a least 1000, perfect repetitions for good technique to become a habit. So, 3 years to just get a consistently good edge? Maybe.

Each day it gets better. Keep swinging.

Simple. I do the same honing or not.....

I used to do hundreds of laps and counted them until I started dozing off zzzzz
For the last couple years now all I do is:

About 15 seconds on linen (about 20-30 laps)

And about 15 seconds on Cordovan (about 20-30 laps)

Stropping really brings out an edge and improves it but I no longer need, or want, to do hundreds of laps on a progression of strops, pastes, etc. to get the desired effect.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

So, a year from now you will shave and wonder how you shave with an edge you produced today.

It is just experience, it takes a good year to learn to strop to the point where you are improving an edge. Longer to realize the difference, and longer to perfect it. Add learning to hone and to shave to the mix…

If you strop daily that’s only 365 time in a year, it takes a least 1000, perfect repetitions for good technique to become a habit. So, 3 years to just get a consistently good edge? Maybe.

Each day it gets better. Keep swinging.

Thanks Marty You know I always appreciate your input and I'm not trying to be contrary about this. It's not like I don't know how to strop. I strop before and after every shave and after honing. And I've been doing it for a pretty good long time. Of course I know that that doing it for a long time doesn't mean that it's being done right but if the razor starts to tug I'll go to the linen you sent me or possibly the pasted sail cloth and I can see the difference that it makes, I just don't do anywhere near the amount of laps that some people are talking about. Maybe I'm missing something here but after about 50 to 60 laps it seems like the point of diminishing returns to me. Then again maybe I'm just ignorant or something

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Thanks Marty You know I always appreciate your input and I'm not trying to be contrary about this. It's not like I don't know how to strop. I strop before and after every shave and after honing. And I've been doing it for a pretty good long time. Of course I know that that doing it for a long time doesn't mean that it's being done right but if the razor starts to tug I'll go to the linen you sent me or possibly the pasted sail cloth and I can see the difference that it makes, I just don't do anywhere near the amount of laps that some people are talking about. Maybe I'm missing something here but after about 50 to 60 laps it seems like the point of diminishing returns to me. Then again maybe I'm just ignorant or something

I'm with you. I've found 60 trips on the strop is the sweet spot. Of course there are exceptions however for a razor in proper condition and proper sharp that's all I've ever needed.

I will also agree, stropping is a deceptively more difficult thing than what it seems and it does take much practice to perfect it.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

...I will also agree, stropping is a deceptively more difficult thing than what it seems and it does take much practice to perfect it.

Amen to that brother! In fact after using the same strop for a long time it takes (me at least) a good bit of adjustment to get used to a new one, even one of superior quality.

Typically I strop 100 laps on Neil Miller's Genuine Linen then 100 laps on Neil's English Bridle then another 50 or so on either my Roo or SRD #1.

I don't strop after shaving. I use a drop of Dawn liquid dish soap and wash the blade then rinse in hot tap water, towel dry and hang from the shower curtain rod till the next day then I put it away.

Before shaving I do about 30 laps on either the genuine linen or another cloth then around 50 on the leather of choice.

After honing, I usually go 10 on CroOx balsa and 50 on leaded leather. A progression of heavy bridle to tallow-tanned.
Heavy to slick. Stropping after honing is mucho-importante!

I give them a good stropping after shaving, of course!

yea, I think in the past we have had many discussions about stropping after honing. Some think it unnecessary or even dulling to the edge.

I've always done it. It improves the edge giving it that final silky smooth finish.

Indeed, guys do what they want.
Shaving off the hones may result in a rough one.
Spare the strop. spoil the edge.

JMO