Thread: stropping sound ??

i have my strop hooked to the back of the bathroom door about chin high, and when i pull it taught it is at a 45 degree angle, and when iam stropping a hollow ground razor i get a nice singing noise when i draw down to my hand , but when i go up i dont get that singing sound. is that normal or do i need to change something?? thanks for any tips.

That's a bit high. You should have your strop about waist high, give or take. The old barber's had them attached near the arms of the Barber chairs...Lower it, and see what happens...

Rich

It wasn't easy at first, but on my strop, I feel like I'm doing the best when the sounds each way are pretty much identical. Then again, I've only had one strop, so that's about as far as I can toss the goat.

I wouldn't describe any of my stropping sounds as being like singing. I think this might be a problem. A fully hollow razor will sing though when side pressure is applied intermittently. I would try flattening the strop better and make sure its not cupping.

Many people who know more about strops than I do say that they don't always have identical sounds because of the nap direction on the leather, or something like that.

If I had to describe the sound of my stropping it would be like a skiier going down a mountain pass. It might sound like a broom going back and forth. Its like "swiiiiiiiiish", "swiiiiiiiish", "swiiiiiish". Usually a deeper sound if I apply a little pressure and a higher sound if I don't.