Thread: My stropping sucks..

After watching Seraphim's stropping video, I've realized that my stropping really stinks.
I'm using a TM 3" Latigo strop. The sound it makes when I strop is not as nice as the sound it makes when Seraphim strops. I think my main problem is with my down stroke (coming back from the top of the strop). When I do my up stroke I typically can tell that the blade is in constant contact with the strop, but when I do my down stroke I often realize that the blade doesn't fully touch the strop.

I have exactly the same problem - it takes me real concentration to make the edge stay in contact on every stroke. Upstrokes are generally fine, until I start to concentrate on the downstrokes more, and then the upstrokes start to suffer!

That is a fairly zippy sounding piece of canvas indeed! Not all strops sound the same. It's dependant on the material & the steel.
It's helpful for you to identify the weakness in your stropping. Now you can work on it. You may have to slow things down again & concentrate on technique before you're ready to increase the speed again.
Don't let it get you down. After just two months in, although you've no doubt learned plenty, there's still plenty more!
I've just thought, it may be that strop you've got. Send it to me & i shall thoroughly test it for you!

haha! Sure! Send me all of your razors and we got a deal here:!P

I wonder if hanging the strop a little lower would make a difference in my stroke...? Also I don't get the same wave that some people get when stropping like Lynn and some old barber.

Wave? You mean due to strop tension? I find that with a very light touch you can ease up on strop tension slightly. When i started i heard all about keeping it nice & tight, but this encourages me to increase pressure with the razor too. Watching these types of videos from respected members made me realise it was just too taught. Enough tension to keep it flat suits me.
Don't want you testing my razors. You might think they're blunt!

PRACTICE ... it takes time. Plain and simple time.

It took me a couple of months before I felt comfortable stropping with some speed. The top of my strop is about bicep height for me. I found that is a good height.

You have a GREAT strop so take your time to take care of it. Tonys work is beautiful so take of it

"My stropping sucks.."

Why don't you tell us how really feel about it...

Seriously, the only true determination of your stropping technique is the blade on you face. I couldn't do what that guy does. My speed is probably less than half of that. I honestly don't have that kind of coordination and dexterity. But razor works just fine after stropping!!

It isn't the spped that counts. it's the technique. The speed comes later, I am still very slow and deliberate, but JoeD can almost get smoke going

I have similar issues- when I was taking my time like Lynn showed on his DVD, I kept my edge nice and sharp. Once I saw all the videos here, I tried to speed up and the edge has suffered. Practice, I guess.

Seem to have somehow put a (very) small nick in my edge too. I have been extremely careful with the blade, so I'm fairly confident it didn't hit anything. I have noticed that my strop isn't perfectly flat- seems to sag in the middle (lengthwise) so only the edges are touching my blade. Wonder if that might have worn a groove in the blade...

Makes me feel like more pressure could do the trick if it weren't for all the advice to the contrary. That or maybe I just need to pick up some strop dressing.