Thread: Holding a strop

I gotta try this in the privacy of my own home, but imagining how this may work, I can't mentally picture getting any traction on the strop to pull it taut without getting my thumb in on the action.

I don't practice being dense, it just comes naturally and effortlessly.

Bruce, try it with a piece of paper or napkin in place of the strop as a simulation. Use your thumb to anchor the 'strop' to your index finger.

Yes, I can do it and it works very well! The strop(s) seem to have an upward arch now that gets perfectly flat during light as possible strokes. I add to this technique by grasping both strop strips instead of just the one I am using. I was doing this after I started using a hanging strop. When I re-inventing straight razor shaving for myself after a 3 yr hiatus, I was using strops atop tables to insure that there was no sag. I do not have a paddle strop. This flexing really prevents potential sagging. Also holding both linen and leather strops at one time gives a thicker, stiffer strop surface. Thanks for the technique. Good find. Robert

A little sagging in the strop adds to refining the edge edge. I can't find it now but someone posted stating they watched Livi strop a straight on a loom strop. He tested the edge and if it wasn't to his liking he loosened the strop a little and stropped again. After all of the years straight razors were in use if a perfectly flat strop was best I would think that is all we would see by now.

Originally Posted by Joed

A little sagging in the strop adds to refining the edge edge. I can't find it now but someone posted stating they watched Livi strop a straight on a loom strop. He tested the edge and if it wasn't to his liking he loosened the strop a little and stropped again. After all of the years straight razors were in use if a perfectly flat strop was best I would think that is all we would see by now.

Now that you mention that I couldn't get over how Mastro honed and stropped. Not only him but the Theirs Issard and Dovo videos also show some very heavy handed technique used to strop and hone.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Basically you are supporting the width of the strop by draping/bending it across the fingers.

Certain fingers of which were previously out of the way of the razor. Warning! When stropping with a new grip, go slow!

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Actually if you did it right, you fingers should be out the way.

That's correct, if I did it right I wouldn't have nicked myself

Good threads should never die! I've been meaning to post pics as I promised of how I hold a "barber style" strop. Upon suggestion of Alan Davis a long time ago, my inspiration is straight out of one of the barber's manuals (thanks Alan).











I like holding these types of strops (I prefer the "barber style) this way because I can make adjustments to the surface of the strop and its flatness, keeping it flat, by pinching with my thumb and index finger and pressing my fingers on the underside of the strop toward my palm. It's hard to describe but easy to see when you hold the strop this way.

Chris L

Your welcome. Nice pics.

I stropped for the first time yesterday evening; I did exactly this, and thought I was doing something weird - good to see I got it (unknowingly) correct!