Thread: What does stropping do? What is the leathers grit?

Well, as I was stropping I was wondering why I was doing it. Does it sharpen the blade? Why do we strop with leather? Why can we strop with newspaper? Does the leather have a "grit" or micron size?

thanks

The conventional wisdom is that it straightens the edge. Pasted strops polish the bevel a bit and can refresh a blade that isn't at shaving prime anymore. Different leathers have different grains and this really changes the draw. The draw can also be changed with the use of non abrasive pastes or leather conditioners. Newspaper ink actually polishes the bevel a bit according to some. I have no experience with that so I can't speak to it's efficacy. Folks have also stropped on pasted balsa wood!

Some folks get addicted to stropping.

Hope this helps

-Rob

Stropping is used as an energy source for the trans-dimensional civilization on planet X42. Try doing a couple of shaves with the same razor without stropping. If the shave begins to feels different, interrupt the shave and strop up the razor. See if it feels better. If so, you have just discovered the Earthly basis for stropping.

Read this.

Best info on what stropping actuall does, as opposed to conjecture on the part of all us duffers.

With the proper technique and stance, stropping in front of the partner makes you look really cool and sexy.

Originally Posted by icedog

With the proper technique and stance, stropping in front of the partner makes you look really cool and sexy.

Don't forget to suck in the gut!

I totally forgot about this! I remember reading it and thinking that it cleared up why my linen seems to blacken over time with use. It must be the edge oxidization coming off. Thanks Seraphim!

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Read this.

Best info on what stropping actuall does, as opposed to conjecture on the part of all us duffers.

Originally Posted by icedog

With the proper technique and stance, stropping in front of the partner makes you look really cool and sexy.

+1, that's the whole point of using a straight razor, right?

Originally Posted by redcannon

+1, that's the whole point of using a straight razor, right?

My wife pretty much ridicules the amount of interest I have in my straights & shaving.

Perhaps you/we are just kidding ourselves that it is cool & sexy to the opposite sex?

I think we are kidding ourselves. Its perfectly possible that for some odd, unexplainable reason women just do not care about how we go about shaving. In fact, I can see how a 'collection' of straight razors and straight razor paraphernalia could be a little off-putting.

But who cares?

It would be ridiculous to devote all of one's energy to impressing women. That's why I only devote, say, 90% of my energy to that purpose.