Duration of a stropped edge

Gents, I've got a question. Has anybody done experiments with just how long a stropped blade will keep that shave-ready edge?

I work on boats, and after a brief hiatus from shipping, I've decided to head back out and get back on a tug boat (I miss horsepower!). I've been trying to figure out what I can do a shave kit, and since I'll be traveling to get to different ports, I want to keep my gear pretty basic. I had the idea of simply taking a few pre-stropped razors and using a fresh edge each time, but I got thinking about edge quality and duration.

I'm out for two weeks to a month most often. Pros send out pre-stropped blades, but do you think a stropped edge would hold for a couple of weeks? or should I just say heck with it and learn how to use a DE?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments? Critiques? :)

I strop before every shave, but I've tried doing without it a couple of times. Now, it's going to depend on the razor, but I think I noticed a diminishment in the shave quality by the third shave. If you're going to be on a boat, it seems that you are under greater risk of corrosion so stropping might be more critical.
Can you get by with a paddle strop?

I was thinking about making a small paddle strop, but I'm trying to think about other ways if I can. I more wondering about how long a stropped edge will keep for. Let's say if I took 4-5 razors, all stropped, and used each only once. I'm wondering if the edge on that last razor - the one that has been sitting for a couple weeks - if that last razor would still have a good edge or whether it would be rubbish at that point.

I think it would. YOu can strop on anything tho. Newspaper, jeans, or the palm of your hand.

With the salty air, it's questionable. Using stainless blades, you may get by with your scenerio. Either way, I would keep the blades sealed with something that would draw moisture from the blades. It's really more practical to have a paddle strop or simple strop and one or two razors...

You have a belt? Before I got my leather strop all I had was a belt and a horse tack "Latigo". I sit and step on oned end of the belt with my right foot, bring the belt over my knee/thigh and hold the other end of the belt in my left hand, making the belt tight. I stropped that way for years on knives. For touching up I don't see why that wouldn't work in a pinch.

I have a shaving kit that I take on trips and inside I wrap a 2 1/2 inch strop around the parameter of the kit. I have recently been using one of the felt pads from Straight Razor Designs and coated it with 0.125 Cubic Boron Nitrate. 20 laps every 5 days is keeping two of my razors going for over 3 weeks now. I strop but I would think that if one were to just give it about 5 laps before shaving it would be all you need. It is a lot smoother than using diamond paste. If you are satisfied with Chromium Dioxide you could use that on the felt. It does not take up a lot of space.


Take Care,
Richard

You can 'rest' a stropped blade forever -- no loss of sharpness. But I'd be really worried about corrosion (I assume you're in salt water). High-carbon steel rusts easily, and a freshly-honed edge is really vulnerable.

Maybe oiling the blades would be enough to keep the rust away.

If I were in your situation, I'd either carry a strop, or take up DE shaving with stainless-steel blades.

Charles

PS -- The Poor MAn's Strop at www.whippeddog.com is adequate, and rolls up fairly small. It's a good travel strop, IMHO.

Thanks for all the responses. How long you can "rest" an edge is what I was particularly going for. I was thinking of stropping and oiling a few razors and using each one once, but it does seem like a good idea to make some sort of travel strop.

While it depends on what type of boat you're on and where, for the most part I am on tugs that are in and out of rivers and coastwise applications. The interior of the cabin are, for the most part, pretty dang nice. I've been on tugs that were nicer than my apartment. New boats usually have all the amenities - internet, flat screen tvs, independent air circulation and really good food. I eat better out on the water than at home! It's all part of the deal since they want you to keep coming back. No matter how you slice it up, being gone 6 months out of the year kinda sucks. Hopefully I'll be going back to my old company out of Philly, but I'm also looking at New York and an assist company out of Louisiana.

DEs are boring to shave with compared to straights. While still boring, single edge razors are "funner" than DE's by a long shot, and give a similar auditory sensation, as well as a better shave IMO. So if you do go to a safety razor, try a Gem 1912/14 instead of a DE.

My advice is to take two or three razors with you, strop after every shave and coat the blades with TUFF-GLIDE or mineral oil. Rumor is that Navy Seals use TUFF-GLIDE on their guns and knives to keep them corrosion free, however, I would opt for the oil coating.

P.S.
You can strop on newspaper wrapped around a hardcover book if you have to. :gl:

Sounds like a good science experiment in the making. By the time you get back you should be able to author an extensive research paper. "The corrosive effects of marine air on the shave ready blade" would be a good title I think. You should apply for a research grant from SRP.

Well here's another who works at the ship. Not tugs but somewhat larger vessels. Mostly on Baltic Sea area and occasionally little further too. Usually i'm out about 5-15 days or so.
I've had a straight razor with me at work. With shorter sails, say 5-7 days i didn't carry my strop. Shaves were ok, but it depends on the razor. After say 4-5 shaves my edges start to lose their best edge but they are still relatively ok. Wedges last longer than hollows in my experience. For the longer sails i've simply carried my strop with me. Then i got bored on carrying my strop and started shaving with Rolls Razor. I have it in my cabin but it is easy to carry with too, and doesn't take much room in your luggage.

However i've never had any problems with rust. After shave i just wipe the blade with the towel and put the razor back to its box. No rust ever.
If you are afraid that your razor rusts then just wipe some oil into the blade. Remember that most ships are made of steel and rust is no major problem.

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Originally Posted by MaritimeFanatic

The interior of the cabin are, for the most part, pretty dang nice. I've been on tugs that were nicer than my apartment. New boats usually have all the amenities - internet, flat screen tvs, independent air circulation and really good food. I eat better out on the water than at home!

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Now this made me jealous :gaah:

Sacrilege I know but I'd take a shavette :o

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Originally Posted by Jeltz

Sacrilege I know but I'd take a shavette :o

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OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!:chop:

Nice to see a fellow merchant mariner! What type of ship do you work on, Sailor? I have a buddy over in the Baltic as we speak working on an MSC ship.

I have had good luck with the boats I've worked on - and our families think we are soooo brave going out for a month.......:D My boats have been nice, and it's a godsend after a while. Pushing petroleum barges, more often than not, I have found to be pretty high stress and you don't sleep much.

Corrosion isn't a huge consideration for me, I'm planning on just giving each blade a nice coating of camellia oil. I think I'm going to try to make a small paddle strop - seems to be the best option. You know how it is though, no matter how nice your boat is, there is never much space. If it doesn't fit in your little drawer it lives in the rack with you.

Take a straight razor and a DE for backup

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Originally Posted by MaritimeFanatic

Nice to see a fellow merchant mariner! What type of ship do you work on, Sailor? I have a buddy over in the Baltic as we speak working on an MSC ship.

I have had good luck with the boats I've worked on - and our families think we are soooo brave going out for a month.......:D My boats have been nice, and it's a godsend after a while. Pushing petroleum barges, more often than not, I have found to be pretty high stress and you don't sleep much.

Corrosion isn't a huge consideration for me, I'm planning on just giving each blade a nice coating of camellia oil. I think I'm going to try to make a small paddle strop - seems to be the best option. You know how it is though, no matter how nice your boat is, there is never much space. If it doesn't fit in your little drawer it lives in the rack with you.

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I'm in the Navy. Graduated as a Watch keeping engineer as my STCW education. A man from the valley of nuts and bolts :D

This winter has been very hard in the northern Baltics. Ice cover is more than 1 meter (39 inches) in some areas. At the north pack ice walls are at its best more than 8 ft above and 10 ft below waterline. Regular ferries are stuck in harbors leaving tens of populated islands isolated. So besides regular tasks we've been providing supplies (food, fuel, freshwater, medical services) to those islanders. Mostly fishermen, their families and senior citizen who've lived in their home islands for all their lives.

It is true that rust is not a problem in a ship if you keep it in a room temp and if the A/C works ok. Better use some oil just to be sure. If you are not familiar with the Rolls Razor i would suggest you to make a search from these sites. It is really handy, vintage, fine tool that practically takes no room at all. Goes in your pocket. The strop and the hone included. Once honed properly it shaves as well as straight razor. Another nice razor is Valet but it takes separate blades that are bit difficult to find, at least cheap.

That's really cool, Sailor. Obviously the ice is not desirable, but it certainly is a different experience. We don't get anything like that over here, but I got to sail in Newfoundland a few years ago and the ice was amazing. There is something special about navigating around mile-long ice bergs and having ice of bergie-bits cooling your drinks!

I'll look into the Rolls Razor, sounds pretty cool. I am looking forward to playing around with a new shave kit for the boat. Justifiable AD! Huzzah!

I second the rolls razor suggestion... very underrated shaver IMO. Still cannot understand why a borderline straight razor will often go for $20 or more on ebay while a complete rolls razor kit often sells for $10 or less. Sheeples.

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Originally Posted by MaritimeFanatic

No matter how you slice it up, being gone 6 months out of the year kinda sucks.

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i feel you on that. i usually deploy for six months at a time, but if im going to be gone for six months i would much rather spend it on the water than in the desert, so im jealous.

when i do deploy i take a couple straight razors and just a hanging strop along with my DE just in case i dont have time for the straight

-dan-