Thread: What is your favorite stropping regiment?

I used to do about 10 off the pasted (chromox) leather. Then 25 on the felt. Then 50 - 100 on the leather. Then I did away with that and went to just the 100 on the leather. Found that I preferred the original method, went back to it with one exception: first I do about 4 laps on a pasted linen. Then generally 5 - 10 on the pasted leather. Then same original routine. But lately, since I just got a new Hart razor, I'm only doing the leather strop. Not for any particular reason except to see how long the edge will hold out. So far(after four shaves), it's performing exceptionally well, i.e., no difference then when first received. It should be a neat experiment!

My stropping regimen isn't very regimented. I usually strop on leather for about fifteen seconds; I don't count laps. When the razor starts to feel a little dull - when it will no longer "catch" and cut the whiskers instantly when shaving I strop on canvas for a minute or two and then on leather until the razor is sharp and smooth again.

I very rarely go to canvas/cloth these days. I almost always use my Chicago Special from Hand American.

For hollow and wedge alike:

Forty before the shave 10~15 after the shave.

30 laps on linen, 60 laps on leather.

Another consideration might concern the hardness of the steel. At one time I had one of those very ancient Acier Fondu razors. And man-o-man was that steel soft. I could shave with it, in fact, it was a fairly comfortable shave, but not exactly a killer shaver. You could practically remove the steel by rubbing your thumb over the blade (not really, but you get my meaning). I'd heard that the TI razors have a Rockwell of around 65 - making it one of the hardest steel razors in town. Interested to know how those guys shape up their blades. Anyone?

On a daily basis, I do roughly 30-50 or so on SRD webbing and then 30-50 or so on SRD Premium 1.

Directly off the hones, however, I strop the "living daylights" out of my razors (200+ on webbing then +/- 100 on the leather). I've found the extra stropping directly off the hones helps. YMMV

50 on leather before shave, and 25 on leather after the shave.

10 on leather. Don't worry, over 5 or so days it adds up. Shave gently enough and you aren't in need of any corrective action.

After honing 30/70 (linen/leather)
Before shaving 30/70 (even if the post honing stropping was just the night before)
After shaving 10/10....

OOOh NO..!!!..................................Not...The BeeJeeBeers.!....not that...........No, this can't be..........Oh.....