Thread: How Important Strop is?

I am a little confused. I strop fairly quickly and I use some pressure when stropping. I strop on linen about 20 to 50 passes then on leather about 50 to 100 passes (usually my IRSC# 361) and my edges last a loooonnng time. I stopped keeping track of how long after more than 100 shaves. that was a while back.

That's just cuz you're so delicate Mark

Seriously tho, I have the same experience. I think excess pressure & poor quality surface is the biggest killer of edges.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

That's just cuz you're so delicate Mark

I raise my pinkie when I shave you know?

Originally Posted by onimaru55

That's just cuz you're so delicate Mark

Seriously tho, I have the same experience. I think excess pressure & poor quality surface is the biggest killer of edges.

I think losing an edge comes down to poor stropping not heat. I suppose an uneven surface can cause problems to a newbie but a seasoned straight shaver could quickly compensate for that. one could strop on just about any smooth surface successfully and can do fine on rougher strops such as the IRSC#827 with a little experience so I am still unsure of what the OP's point or meaning is

Originally Posted by JMS

I raise my pinkie when I shave you know?

I started counting how many shaves i could get out of my razors i normaly do 50/50 after honing then 15 /25 before each shave, it amazed me how long the edge keeps going and actualy i find the shaves get better not worse my pumas on its 50 yh shave and still as good as it gets.

as for stropping i don't see the poit of doing loads of laps i think you should do more work on your hone i no hone meister that do only 30 laps on leather as for speed i just go at a speed that suits me not to slow not to fast.

Originally Posted by JMS

I think losing an edge comes down to poor stropping not heat. I suppose an uneven surface can cause problems to a newbie but a seasoned straight shaver could quickly compensate for that. one could strop on just about any smooth surface successfully and can do fine on rougher strops such as the IRSC#827 with a little experience so I am still unsure of what the OP's point or meaning is

Yup, it's mostly all in the touch & the raised pinkie

Poor stropping or damaged strop? Yes.

Heat? No.


The speed at which a human would have to rub a razor against a strop with the pressure we use in order to heat the blade significantly is not humanly possible. Even if you used an extremely high speed rotary machine, I'd expect the leather would smoke long before the steel's integrity was compromised.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Yup, it's mostly all in the touch & the raised pinkie

For balance you understand.

I'm sure