Thread: Stopping with a untaught strop

I usually strop with a hyper taught strop and use a little pressure. I can strop a blade in just 4 laps like this, which as you can imagine, saves some time in the morning. Recently, after watching Lynn's video again I decided to let the strop hang down a little (maybe just a 1/4 inch) and strop with a very, very, light touch. I noticed I now get a really smooth edge like this too. Fun! All the varied ways to do the same thing....but anyway. I noticed I get absolutely no drag with this method. Do you guys who use an ultra light touch and don't hold the strop ultra taught (if there are any guys like that...lol) not get any drag when stropping?????? Seems like I'm getting a tight little edge on the blade this way seeing as that I'm stropping the very tip. Hopefully I won't roll the edge but I've never had fear of that. Plenty of hones around my house.

Oh, and it takes like 15 passes...not bad though

I would think that if you don't keep the stropp straight and tight wouldn't you tend to round off the edge as you stropp?

Watch Lynns video again and tell me what you think?

I can only say that my best shavers produce no noticeable drag at all.

Since shaving is the ultimate test I decided to accept this and don't try to create drag by putting pressure on them.

If it ain't broke ....

I strop as lynn does...I believe stroping is about no pressure on blade ,being smooth and consistant with your strokes and being in harmony with the strope...with a loose strop the timing seems easier to achieve...the drag many times is dependent on condition and type of leather used on strop...for example tony sent me two different leather strops, one his leather, one a treated leather from his supplier...both lynn and I tried them...tony's leather produced drag with no pressure which we both liked...the other strop with treated leather produced a slick feel with no drag...we put both blades under scope same razor equally as sharp...both lynn and I like drag on strop...personal pref...When I work in london I go to trumpers every morning for shave and facial steam before work...Alex who has been there forever old guy strops str8 in his hand no leather strop so go figure!

When I first saw that video of Lynn stroping, I was puzzled too. I didnt had the guts to try to replicate that method. For now, I am waiting the Lynn Professional Series Video to show up and clarify things a bit.

Nenad

A barber in my town has been doing it for 50 years. He strops with a rather slack strop, quickly, and with a decent amount of pressure. I asked him about rounding the edge, and he said that's not neccessarily a bad thing. Makes the shave smoother, according to him. I"ll concede that one point, but there is a downside also I think. Rounding the edge just means more work the next time the razor sees a hone. It takes the very edge that much further away from the stone, if that makes sense. Personally, I pull mine tight.

Jeff

Originally Posted by threeputt

I asked him about rounding the edge, and he said that's not neccessarily a bad thing. Makes the shave smoother, according to him.

Jeff

Yea, this is exactly the sensation I have had...it feels great!

I've noticed a couple of times my edge catching on the strop just as Im about to turn the blade for the opposite pass - Actually this morning after my shave I'm certain theres a tiny nick out the blade ..
Im being extra careful taking each stoke on the strop slowly and with no pressure on the balde . Do you guys think possibly just as im about to roll the blade over Im putting a little pressure on it which is causing it to stick into the strop ........ It's most worrying !!!

If you are turning it over its spine then most likely as you are about to turn the blade over you pull on it against the stroke just a little so the edge digs into the leather, does not take much the edge is razor sharp. As you turn it over, the edge now dug into the leather breaks off or bends. The shaving edge is extremely delicate.

I did that a few times when I started and nicked the strop but luckily at the very top and bottom so the rest is still good.

I now start turn over the blade a little before I stop the stropping stroke so the blade is still moving with the spine leading while being turned over the spine. No chance of catching the edge on the leather.