Thread: Please critique my stropping

Yeah, like the others said, it looks quite OK, except it looks really unnatural for you. I'd jump right in there and attach the strop to something (I use a carabiner to attach it to the towel rail) and strop 'normally' so to speak...

I think you're on the right track. A bit more of an X pattern, mostly on your pull stroke (back toward your body), and a tad more roll between your fingers. This will come with patience and practice.

Can't critique that! There's not enough evidence! I can't find a single nick in that strop!! Looking good, +1 on the x stroke. Keep having fun!!

Regards,

Howard

Less wrist motion will give you better control but so far so good. You can use a toothbrush to practice the flip. No need to use the razor.
I'd also move the strop right to the edge of the table. Don't want to hit the bench if you slip off the leather.

Looks pretty good. No stopping though. Get that razor on the move-on in the other direction as soon as it starts flipping. You've got a pretty good, semi-disciplined pattern going on.

Its good to hear that I'm not doing anything overtly wrong. After this morning's shave, I went ahead and hung the strop and used it the "normal way" and didn't have any issues... even got the x pattern down a little better. Now I'm just waiting on my razor from Whipped Dog to get here. I had been using a razor that I purchased from Larry, but I smacked it on the sink Wednesday morning and ruined the edge. So I sent it back and traded for another one. In the meantime I'm using a razor that's been borrowed from a friend, however after using it twice I've come to the conclusion that it isn't shave-ready like I was told. I even tried a pasted balsa plank to see if that would help out and it hasn't.

and so the next acquisition appears over the horizon... a stone