Thread: Going backside...

Anybody else try using the backside of their TM Starter strop (or other TM latigoes)?

Last night I was putting a few drops of neats foot oil on the smooth regular surface and decided to oil up the backside to give it a go as well. When I had ordered my strop and spoke with Tony, he had said something about having "two usable surfaces", so that was in the back of my mind.

With the talk of the "raised nap" new strops he is putting out, I figured I'd try the rougher backside of the starter to see what that did for me. As I said, I gave a bit of the ol' neats foot oil on there to soften things up a bit more. I stropped with very light presure, lighter than I use for the smooth side, and all seemed to be going quite nicely. Sort of a cushioney stropping feel, definitely different than the frontside. I'll have to work on my backside technique and see what works best.

After the backside, I went to the frontside and stropped as per usual. Pulled a long brunette hair from the wife's brush (I'm balding and close-cropped) and had fantastic HHT all up and down the edge. Was this due to my new stropping? I'm not sure as I didn't do a before/after test, as I went to use the backside on a whim at the spur of the moment. But I will be adding it to my stropping repetoire, and see how it goes.

This morning's shave was quite nice as well.

Any other backsiders out there?

I use both sides on my TM strop with great effectiveness. Actually, the rougher side on the beginner strop isn't as "rough" as the linen strop on the regular TM strop, so it should work just as Tony says it should.

I have smeared diamond paste on the back of my own make horsehide strop. I use it about every other shave to help keep the edge at optimum sharp. I have a linen strop hanging next to it that I never use.

I am a huge fan of backsides! Oh, wait, you're talking about the back side of a strop? Nevermind.