Thread: My stropping

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I am using pressure on the blade and running it along the strop until I feel a drawing sensation on the blade.

To be honest, I am still puzzled with the propper stroping technique... I used feather light to somewhat firmer strokes with various results. One of the barber manuals or razor catalogs suggests "use pressure until you feel firm drag on the razor". Well, I guess this desribes your experience. I think that as long you pull on that strop hard, there is no fear of damaging the edge. On the other hand, you can see Lynn stroping in more relaxed way, obviosly with no ill efects on the edge... I guess it's the metter of feel for the edge...

Well, off to try putting my razor under pressure...

Nenad

Yes, the barbers manual specifically addresses using pressure. Then again if your getting drag/draw from a light touch then there would be no reason to use pressure. Either way I'm glad I am getting such amazing results. Perhaps strop draw is proportional to honing technique or striation direction. And though the advice flies in face or our common knowledge, I thought I would share it anyway as I find it more effective and validated by an easy to miss sentance in one barbers manual, and yet the key to smooth shaves (I think).

I hope one of you tries it, especially towards the end of effective shaving with one of your blades, when your about to re-hone anyway. Perhaps you can bring the blade back to life and shaving sharp.

Lynn specifically says in his video he is not using pressure, but he is also allowing the strop to bow, which I think would work well. I hold the strop waaaaay tight and use pressure until I'm sure the edge is aligned (by feeling the draw) What I'm certain would not work is a bowed strop and using pressure.

AF I'm with you on this one. I use what I guess would be somewhat firm pressure when stropping, but I hold the strop quite taut. I don't pull so hard that the strop wants to curl, but quite neat that hard. As hard as I strop, I have a feeling that if I relax my left hand for a second, my edge will be obliterated. I have very good results. Another benefit of hard stropping is it's easier to keep the blade flat on the strop. With light pressure, the edge or spine is more apt to raise up off the strop during the stroke. Something else I believe is paramount ~ keeping the strop well conditioned. The dryer the strop gets, the more pressure I need to get drag, so I condition mine quite frequently. I use the Fromm conditioner, and normally for a few days I am wiping off a tad of waxy residue from my razors after stropping. They drag well though! I wish I could find a more oily type conditioner that wouldn't "wax" up on the surface of the strop. I want to try neatsfoot or something like that, but am nervous I might foul up my strops. Anyway, good post! Gave me a reason to think deeper on this. .................Jeff

Cool, its nice to see some come out of the woodwork once you start shaking the trees. Might be a few other heavy stroppers out there. I got some really nice strop dressing from Tony.

Part of the draw factor is what type of leather and what surface characteristics they have. I have several types I use and some like my #1 and #2 have an almost sticky surface that has good drag with little pressure. Others have a harder, slicker surface and take a little more pressure. I do tend to use the harer ones on the razors that keep the keenest edge and the stickier ones on razors tat don't hold up quite as well.

Tony