Greetings,
I've been faithfully stropping my razors after I shave. I realize it will probably be a matter of common sense once revealed, but what is the reason for doing this?
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Greetings,
I've been faithfully stropping my razors after I shave. I realize it will probably be a matter of common sense once revealed, but what is the reason for doing this?
Hi,
I do this as well - for removing all remaining water and/or soap from the edge itself (When wiping the razor with the towel to dry it, I won't get too near the edge in fear for ruining it (and the towel as well :D )).
CU,
-Axel-
I've been wondering about this one myself.
One school of thought (the one included in the Barbers' Manual in the Help Files) directs the razor to be stroppped after each use, which I think I recall my old barber, Jim used to do, but I'm not sure.
Another school of thought suggests that after shave stropping can remove some cutting fins as it realigns others thus making the razor dull prematurely.
Which is correct?
It seems to me that the only way to be sure would be to have identical razors of as many different brands as possible treated exactly the same except for this crucial difference ... one would ALWAYS be stropped after shaving and the other would NEVER be stropped after. Whichever holds its edge the best would be a razor in support of a methodology.
The whole project should only take a few months if enough people weighed in on the experiment. Alternate each razor for about two months with no honing touch ups and report back here. I'll be using two similar razors as I haven't got identical ones so my results will not be as trusted as somebody using two 6/8 TI's for example, but since they will both be vintage Solingen razors (Dubl Duck Special and a Böker) it should produce reliable results.
Who's with me?
X
I was wondering about this myself. It's generally accepted that some steels will "resharpen" themselves after having the edge rolled from use or stropping. I would think that stropping and resting the blade would be correct unless your stropping technique is absolutely flawless. I'm not sure about any of what I'm saying really; just tossing the idea.
Wish I had a good answer for this one. Tis been debated for years with pretty much the responses as received......lol. I do strop both before and after every shave. Force of habit. Lynn
Well, I will continue to strop both before and after my shave if for no other reason than to keep the tradition alive.
Edge realigning with time? With the razor steel as britle as it is, this makes no sence whatsoever... If the micro-fins are bent, they are staying that way, until stropped. The stropping after the shave realigns the fins and cleans the edge from water, preventing corosion.
Stropping before the shave only does another thing. With the razor edge moistened with water after the shave, the microscopic rust will form on fins, eating the steel, which is being removed with the next stroping prior shaving. This sharpens the edge. The razor seam to have "restored" edge, thus making this myth to appear.
In Perret’s book "La Pogonotomia" (1770), he is explaining this "strange" thing:
"Some people have a strange experience: they shave until the razor refuses. They then let it rest 6 to eight weeks, strop 4 or five strokes, and are then able to shave again. The reason is seen under the microsope: rust forms in pores on the edge when it is wet; after a few weeks the rust particles drop off while stropping, reducing edge thickness; some more strokes create a new edge, and the razor is restored"
This makes sence to me...
Nenad (stropping before and after shaving, just because Lynn does so:) )
You will not get acurate result without using two IDENTICAL razors. Using two Solingen blades is like racing two German made 2000 cc cars. Especialy if they are vintage. This is due to the tolerances in forging and heat treating temperatures, and the carbon variation in the steel. The best way to test this myth is to use two consecutive ser.num. razors. So, unless you can talk someone here to lend you his #x and #x+(-)1 SRP limited edition razors for two months, you can forget about getting desired results...Quote:
Originally Posted by xman
Nenad
Well, I would think that there would have to be some elasticity in the steel. Otherwise, how would you be able to reform the edge using a strop?Quote:
Originally Posted by superfly
Elasticity in the steel? I don't know, if this was the case why does the edge seem to be so brittle and why does it get these micro serrations. I would think if it was flexible the visuals of an edge would look very different than it does and considering the thickness at the edge any flexibilty would not allow it to shave well maybe thats why a damascus supposedly shaves better is it the additional hardness of the steel?
Personally I strop before shaving only and I agree this polishes off any rust that accumulates in the striations in the edge.
Actually I have 2 SRP razors. I could try that experiment but someone has to talk me into it!
The service you would be performing for the group would be of infinite value. Clearly the debate is at a pitch enough to warrant advanced technical data. Your effort would benefit not only current group members, but generations to come. There will be stories and ballads written about you and your commitment to the art and your name will live in infamy.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
X
(How'd I do?) :D
Yes, there must be some elasticity; else how would one reform the edge by stropping? Yes, hard steel seems desireable as long as it's not too brittle. That is the idea behind some of the modern powdered tool steels. They are a bitch to shapren but hold an edge like a dream. The concept of a wire edge discussed here freely, is a clear demonstration of the elasticity of steel. That sumbich flops around like it was rubber; don't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
I own a rolls razor and the instructions say that one should strop the razor after shaving to ensure there is no water or soap left on the blade. That was when I started stropping after I shaved. :ziplip: jmsbcknr
coming from a technical perspective only:Quote:
Originally Posted by Korndog
I'm not sure I would call it elasticity. Basically the molecules of the metal are similar (but more stiff) than ice under pressure. The metal can be bent. Much like a wood chisel that dulls over time and usage. I have a leather belt that I strop my wood tools with after each use. keeps them sharper for much longer and less grinding is required to restore them to factory finish over a period of time.
The razor's edge is so thin that I'd have to guess that the same effect of wood and pressure on the chisel's edge applies when shaving. Again guessing here, the stropping after a shave, especially with the metal warmed from the flesh and hot water making it (in a very small way) more pliable (versus elastic), returns it to its previous stage.
I've read several articles about razors edges growing and shrinking, and outside of the normal expansion and contraction of metal when exposed to heat and cold, I can't see how this would be a reality. Anyone got something scientific I can read on that? :confused: Thanks.
FUD
the raw vegan str8 guy.
"The service you would be performing for the group would be of infinite value. Clearly the debate is at a pitch enough to warrant advanced technical data. Your effort would benefit not only current group members, but generations to come. There will be stories and ballads written about you and your commitment to the art and your name will live in infamy."
Well I'm willing to try it the only glitch is that one of the razors is still new in box while the other has been used so I've got to get the unused one shaving like the old one before I can start. If I can get over that problem I would propose a period of shaving with the two razors for 30 days with one shave every day alternating between the two and only those two on alternate days, hopefully they won't have to be honed during that period and if they do they both get the same number of passes on the same media. One will be stropped say 30 times before shaving only and the other 30x before and 30x after.
What do you guys think? any other considerations here? A proposed kickoff time for the experiment will be next monday morning!
thebigspendur,
Why don't you keep a running record of it in the blogs?
getset, ready, GO!!!
I'll open up a new thread in this section titled the grand experiment and post a weekly progress report.
Yay for experimentation and knowledge!
That's great. I fear the representative sample may be too small for certainty. You might want to run longer than 30 days if no difference can be discerned after just 15 shaves each. I'd also like to encourage others to join in with different razors. Someone with a pair of W&B's or Dovo's maybe. Guys with the heavy growth are likely going to get more dramatic results because of the greater stress on the blade. The difference between the razors not being sequentially manufactured may be refuted by turning around and reversing the methodology for each razor. So the one that got stropped after for a few months, gets turned around after the needed honing and is the one that doesn't for a few months. The results might speak for themselves this way.
X
Ideally it should continue until one razor requires honing while hopefully the other doesn't. But we'll see how it plays out. The main factor now is to have both razors equally sharp to begin with. Theoretically, at the outset they could give equally good shaves yet one could still be sharper than the other. I guess I'll have to drag out the stereo microscope for this one!
question regarding the experiment - Are you saying that the blade being stropped after shaving should be re-stropped just prior to shaving or are you giving it a rest after stropping?
I have two brand new in box TI 7/8 that I would be willing to do this with. I would prefer it if one of the more experienced guys prepare the edges for me. They seem quite sharp out of the box btw, but I have not shaved with them.
Larry
No experimenting for me and no stropping after I shave either. I guess I'll be in the minority but I don't strop after shaving because I don't want stuff coming off the razor and onto the strop. And I'm lazy. I have stropped on the linen side to clean off the blade though. Not saying I know whats right, just saying what I do (or in this case don't do). All my post shave activity is focused on cleaning the razor...and I only have one strop. I do wonder occasionally, you guys that do strop after a shave...does that aligned blade stay aligned indefinetly? The benefit of stropping after a shave though for me would be having the razor stropped incase I want to shave with it again quickly. Why I dunno, just sometimes I want to pick up a razor and I start to shave with it, like I missed a spot or to do the back of my neck and then I think...woops forgot to strop. I can't imagine it would really matter either way. And if thats the case than I'm guessing you guys do some extra stropping. Gosh talk about lazy huh? I think I"m getting old....
"question regarding the experiment - Are you saying that the blade being stropped after shaving should be re-stropped just prior to shaving or are you giving it a rest after stropping?"
I will be alternating just two razors and using just these two razors for the duration of the experiment so each razor will get a one day rest between use of course if people here think they should have more of a rest I can give each an extra day or two between use. One will only be stropped before shaving and the other before shaving and after shaving.
Give them the hanging hair test and if they pass on freshly washed hair, I'd say you're good to go. If they do pass, then chances are they're not only shave ready, but as similar in sharpness as possible having just come off the line. If they don't pass that test then, yes get them toned up. I'd recommend keeping in close touch with bigspender throughout the experiment if you have questions and remember, as a new shaver (like me) you'll be prone to a wider variance in stropping so try extra dilligently to be EXACTLY the same with each blade ... except of course for the extra stropping after shaving with the one of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by Korndog
Hey, how will you tell them apart? I'm assuming they don't have serial numbers on them.
So that's two guys doing TI's. Who's got same or similar Dovo's and wants to weigh in? :)
X