Palm Stropping?

Sorry if there's already a thread of this... I did a search and didn't find anything.

I've seen videos of Mastro Livi doing this, and heard that it's a great way to strop a Kamisori... What's the verdict for regular razors? Not worth doing? I think it sounds neat, and if it proves beneficial to my blades, why not?

I think that I'm going to try using TM Linen, and my palm prior to a shave soon, rather than using my normal array of leathers... Just to see what happens...

Any experiences, thoughts, or comments?

I think he strops a full size blade.
On another hand why waste your palm, when you can use a reg strop?

While I don't care to disagree with Maestro Livi over anything, I cannot imagine it benefiting more than a strop. I wonder if it's more of an evaluative tool for him?:thinking:

I've never nicked a strop. I'd say if one has a propensity for nicking strops, palm stropping should be avoided!

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Originally Posted by Utopian

...I'd say if one has a propensity for nicking strops, palm stropping should be avoided!

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I bet you would only do it once.:chop:

Here are a few you might peek at. Found in a forum search:

Stropping On The Hand, Again - Straight Razor Place Forums
palm stropping for kamisori - Straight Razor Place Forums
Hand(Palm) Stropping - Straight Razor Place Forums

I don't think his palm stropping is to actually strop the razor but as has been said part of the evaluation process for him. I guess he's done it enough so that he can tell by the feel on his palm that the razor is ready.

If I'm without a strop, I prefer to strop on my arm. Just today, though, I have discovered that palm stropping is a good way to dry off a blade that's just been dunked while buffing (the harbor freight rags do some things well, but absorbing water is not one of them - I palm strop one stroke, wipe hand on shirt, strop other side, wipe hand on shirt; repeat till razor is dry). Personally, I wouldn't do it with a sharp razor.

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

If I'm without a strop, I prefer to strop on my arm. Just today, though, I have discovered that palm stropping is a good way to dry off a blade that's just been dunked while buffing (the harbor freight rags do some things well, but absorbing water is not one of them - I palm strop one stroke, wipe hand on shirt, strop other side, wipe hand on shirt; repeat till razor is dry). Personally, I wouldn't do it with a sharp razor.

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Yeah, I saw Joed's post on that in a different thread (using the forearm) and tried it... Worked pretty well, actually...

Its not something I would try, just because you'll get the mother and father of all cuts if you get it wrong!

I know people say "But I never nick my strop, I have a steady hand yadda yadda..", but thats not much comfort when you're in A&E, minus a few digits, a pint or two of blood and your other half is holding a bag of peas with your fingers in it!

I would say avoid. Mastro Livi might do it, but the guy is a professional bladesmith with decades of experience, so he probably knows what he's doing..!

Yea, and there are enough professional guys with decades of experience around power tools out there who go by the name of lefty.

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Originally Posted by Stubear

Its not something I would try, just because you'll get the mother and father of all cuts if you get it wrong!

I know people say "But I never nick my strop, I have a steady hand yadda yadda..", but thats not much comfort when you're in A&E, minus a few digits, a pint or two of blood and your other half is holding a bag of peas with your fingers in it!

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I have to agree with the logic, a strop can be replaced, not sure about fingers :hmmm:

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Originally Posted by Doublewood

I have to agree with the logic, a strop can be replaced, not sure about fingers :hmmm:

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STEM CELLS, BABY!

(Just kidding. Let's not get into that one....)

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

STEM CELLS, BABY!

(Just kidding. Let's not get into that one....)

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Thanks for the laugh, Dylan!

I've used it as a touch up when my strop hasn't been handy. I have a sorta wider palms so it seems to have enough surface to go against. I've never cut myself and don't know what the "proper" technique is but it does seem to work. Not necessarily better than a strop but it doesn't hurt the edge.

I actually had strop my box cutter blade when they get dull at work.

Of course it doesn't work the best for me but I assume it would be easier to get a proper angle with the straight razor.

I don't think you have to worry about losing any fingers , the blade should stop when it hits the bone . After the blade hits the bone , I think you will need to re-hone the razor .:D

after shaving, drying the bade and stopping on latigo I apply oil to the blade with my thumb and finger. I start at the spine and draw the oil evenly down to the edge. I gues this has a stropping effect of sorts but I do it to make sure oil gets worked into the edge without dulling it. Been doing it that way for a couple of years with no problems. I belive Dovo recomends "whetting with the thumb" in a similar way.
But really it is more about blade protection than stropping. Latigo works sooo much faster for that.

In Italy is a common practice in the barbershop, for me after a good stroping session i see a couple passes over the hand will slightly improve the razor feeling, i haven't understood why, but somewhat it works

Yes, you can strop on your palm, or more precisely, on the heal of your plam just below the little finger. I do this often when travelling on short trips since it allows me to leave my strop at home and not worry about where to hang in an often cramped hotel bathroom. One would have to be very clumsy to cut oneself doing this. In fact as I have said in another reply I have never cut my hand doing anything with a straight razor and cannot imagin how, barring some stupid act like trying to catch a dropped razor, one would.

Palm stropping seems to be quite a universal practice worldwide. My barber palm strops with much authority. He is from Venezuela and has friends and family in Spain who are barbers and they palm strop also.
I don't think palming it is unique to Signore Livi.

I palm strop most every shave but I turn up my focus knob before I start. I also palm strop while honing to remove those minute little metal feathers that present themselves under magnification. Be careful ! :beer2:

I have been palm stropping all sorts of blades for about 15 years or more.
I don't see why straights are more difficult, dangerous to do than any other blade.
I have stropped axes, khukri's, shun blades, what ever and when ever. And never once had a cut from a cleanly honed blade, just don't do it if you have nicks in the blade, as an axe might in the field after a day of chopping.