Thread: Stropping Question

Hello Everyone
Newbie here with a question about stropping. I'm a little confused after reading everything I could find on the internet about it. Do you strop both sides of the razor or just the side that is in contact with your face when you shave?
Thanks
Kurt

Hey Kurt,

Let me just first say welcome. Always good to see a new face.

When stropping you do both sides. This helps to align the razor edge.(gives you a somewhat sharper feel). Never just do one side you can ruin the honing job. When you strop you have the sharpened edge trailing the unsharp edge. One stroke on one side then flip over the spine(which is the unsharp edge) then one stroke other side. Always keep the spine touching the strop and try not to put to much pressure on the razor it really isnt needed. It was suggested to start with a butter knife for practice. You can go as slow or as fast as you feel comfortable. I hope this answers your questions and feel free to ask more.

Keaton

CREWPSU,
I'm a little confused too about what you mean by "both sides", so I'll use some other names. The razor has a top(spine), a bottom(edge), a front(toe) and the back(heel...closest to handles or scales)

When I strop, on my hanging strop, I pull the leather taut and lay the razor across the leather farthest away from me with the spine towards me. I pull the razor towards me in a slow even stroke( spine and edge both in constant contact with the leather...little to no downward pressure) with the spine leading and the edge coming last. As the blade gets to the end of the stroke close to me, I lift the edge and roll the edge over 180degress. During the rolling process, I never let the spine lift from the leather. I then stroke the razor away from me on the leather(again both the edge and spine in constant contact with the leather). That constitues 1 lap. I typically do 30-50 laps.

I believe your reference to stropping both sides would be the two strokes in a single lap that would strop both sides of the edge.

That's what they meant

Originally Posted by RichZ

That's what they meant

Yeh, what he said!

Kurt,

Have you checked the "Help Files" section? Might also check this article at ClassicShaving, complete with illustrations: http://www.classicshaving.com/articl...90351/4057.htm

Keep it slow and light. It's not a race. Try 20-30 round trips (up and back) prior to shaving.

In any case it doesn't make much of a time difference.