Thread: Practice with a newspaper strop

I hope this is in the proper place on the forum, if not will a Mod please move to a correct location, Thank you.

While on an afternoon walk downtown the other day I went past a barbershop my grandfather used to frequent. I entered and started a conversation with the 2 barbers that were there about razors and straights in particular. The older barber asked if I had a few minutes and took me to a nursing home where two elderly barbers resided. They were very interesting to listen to being in there eighties and early nineties. They spoke of Barber training in Milwaukee and Chicago, practice, and apprenticeship. They thought it was fantastic that there were still people practicing this art of shaving and they lit right up when given the opportunity to speak of it. A very interesting hour to say the least.

A most wonderful experience I will never forget.

What caught my attention was they spoke of learning to strop on a paper strop for a number of weeks to develop technique, pressure, and until they no longer tore or cut the paper. Both admitted that they still slightly nicked or scared a strop.) They would also make them for their apprentice barbers.

My question is have you practiced using a paper strop?