Thread: Stropping Speed Experiment

Slow stropping again this morning.

As bad, if not worse, than the other days. I'm definitely convinced that very slow stropping does absolutely nothing for my shaves. Maybe if I did more laps, but I haven't tried that. I reckon I've got one more day in me at slow speeds and then I'll go up to moderate (do you guys think 1 return stroke per second is moderate - slightly slower/faster?).

Face is still tingling and I shaved 45 minutes ago. Head stands up to it better, although I noticed a small amount of blood in the lather after one stroke - can't see a nick though.

James.

I think to incorporate the linen you would have to duplicate the slow and fast stropping but use the linen first and then see if there was a difference twix using the linen and not using it.

I think one of the problems with trying to strop real slow is that after you have been at this for a while and you strop pretty fast and then you try and slow down it really messes you up don't you think? Kind of like a professional roofer laying roofing shingles trying to slow down and he starts banging his fingers with his hammer or starts shooting nails into his hand with a gun.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

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I think one of the problems with trying to strop real slow is that after you have been at this for a while and you strop pretty fast and then you try and slow down it really messes you up don't you think? Kind of like a professional roofer laying roofing shingles trying to slow down and he starts banging his fingers with his hammer or starts shooting nails into his hand with a gun.

Yes, that's true. However, I've tried to be mindful of that when I was stropping slowly - got plenty of time so I have been very careful to make sure the edge is contacting correctly and so on. While it's not the most natural way for me to strop, I'm pretty sure I've been maintaining the correct technique as I go.

The hardest part for me has been resisting the temptation to just give it one good swipe - go on, no-one would know...

James.

I follow your ideas about linen. I don't think I've had any trouble stropping slowly but it did take an adjustment again. One issue I saw right off the bat was that it seems that strop imperfections seem to be magnified when you strop slowly. Its either an optical illusion or a real problem but you can see the blades movement so I found myself moving very slow to compensate.

One big sense that I have picked up on is that once you understand the importance of speed you can also accept using a feather light touch. The synergy between the two suddenly fuses in your brain better.

One more data point. This morning I read the thread about stropping speed, and decided to pay more attention to my stropping while preparing for the shave.

I increased the speed a bit, and as Alan mentioned, decreased the pressure on the strop. And, actually, my razor did became noticeably sharper from the previous shave. It was it's third shave after the honing session, and the razor felt sharpest so far.

So, I am gonna continue with this practice, to see if I can squeeze more shaves per honing per razor...


cheers,
Nenad

Todays shave was again ok, middle of the road, and better than all the slow stropping days. I can still tell the blade edge isn't perfect but the shaves are getting better as we go, but only by very small amounts. The edge quality via honing is still a critical component of a good shave.

The razor shaves much smoother and their is no irritation. Its cutting qualities are a little subpar.

I believe it will be beneficial to go back to stropping slow with this blade and see if I can detect a detrimental effect. I'll likely try that on Sunday perhaps.

After that more honing. I may need to try the test backward, fast stropping then slow. Not sure really.

I may add the linen at the end of this run and assess it and then again later.

Nenad,

Looks like we posted about the same time. Glad we are getting more data points, let us know how it goes. I suppose the importance of stropping speed to honing interval will be an important follow up.

I never saw a barber strop slowly (although some certainly stropped much faster than others). I always assumed they stropped fast because they were so skilled at it they could. While I'm sure that's true, might it also be they knew (perhaps subconsciously) that they needed to if they wanted good results?

FWIW, I find that when I do repetitive motion things, like stropping, my motions are more fluid, consistent, and repeatable at certain speeds... if I go faster or slower, things get more erratic in a subtle sense. It's like hammering a nail... ever try to go real slow or real fast... you miss/bend it a lot more times than when you're pounding at a speed that is your natural rhythm. Same with swinging a golf club, etc.

Alan and Jim,

Could you give us a little more info on the rates you're stropping at? Maybe time yourself for a minute, counting laps... "Fast" is a relative term.

Josh

Azjoe,

Its true about the speed and smoothness issue. Its also likely they read the textbook when in barber school. It clearly indicates speed is important.

Josh,

I'll try. To give you a ballpark for now, when I strop slow its as slow as I can and when I strop fast its as fast as I can. I think I can count 2 seconds during a stroke-slow; and I can do a two full laps, up and back and up and back again in a single second- fast.

Kids-Don't try this at home! :-)