Muscles loose their memory when you are tired!!

If you havent nicked it, its not really yours, its like the first door dings on your car.

Hurried, tired, inattentive, attitude all of these things can and will influence anything you do, stropping is no different. Especially if you strop like you would swing a bat. ;)

Yeah, I'd say pretty much every strop I own has had a nick or two put in it. One thing I think helps with control is fixing the upper arm and just letting the stropping motion occur from the elbow down. Moving the whole arm from the shoulder introduces a whole other level of movement, and shoulders tend to capture and store fatigue and stress more than forearms, at least they do for me.

I also shave this way - most of the movement of the razor happens at the wrist, some from the elbow, and basically none from the shoulder. I find it gives me far more control that way.

James.

Stropping has been my toughest nut to crack. I'll be glad when my muscles memorize what they're supposed to do when I'm rested!