Thread: Your Strop Technique

Both ways. Timing is everything, and it takes awhile before you can do it subconsciously.

I leave the spine on the strop. When I first started I was a lot slower of course, but I've always used the "locked wrist" technique and I've never nicked a strop.

Well, I have no idea what is happening now. But last night I made hamburger out of the lower right corner of my strop while trying to keep the spine on the strop for the flip. As long as I lift the blade at the end of the stroke before the flip I am Ok, never nicked my strop. Now that this piece of Latigo is going to have to be replaced, I am going to practice on in until I get it.

I am locking my wrist and trying to do the flip just using my thumb and forefinger. I have to still be in stroke motion while the flip is taking place. Now I can't tell if it is at the end of the pull stroke or the beginning of the push stroke - ARRRGGGGG!

The barber manual suggests practicing the flip without doing the stroke until you've mastered it. Perhaps that would be something to consider now that you've changed your grip.

no lifting of the spine for me

I just did a few strokes on my strop to see if I do anything unconsciously, but I didn't notice anything helpful, it's just instinct I guess.

The only thing I can think of is practicing in mid-air without the strop, try to move your hand on the same plane, and start slow.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I keep the spine on the strop at all times. I used to put slight nicks/wear on my strop at the end of the pull stroke at the very edge of the strop closest to my body

I have to admit to the same problem myself. maybe a wider strop would solve it as I tend to move the razor across the strop to make sure the tip and heel of the blade get stropped.

maybe UNDREAM could make a nice video of how to strop without turning the wrist and other things we could learn, because his video on restos was A++++.

FWIW my technique is to raise the edge of the razor up just before I have finished the stroke and with the edge up and spine down on the leather, reverse the direction of the stroke and then rotating the blade, easing the edge back onto the leather while the blade is in motion. So when the direction of the stroke changes, the edge is somewhere between the 3:00 and 9:00 positions.

Not UNDREAM, But Bart
YouTube - Stropping a Straight Razor