stropping with different razors. problems with razor construction? notably Red Imp

Hi All,I'm very new to straight shaving, so please be patient ,as I try my best to explain my problem.Before I ever bought my razors, and strops etc., I was practicing stropping with an old puma straight that's been in my house for years and a whipped dog poor man strop.. I didn't use the razor to shave as there's a hairline crack in the blade. Anyway, for weeks I was able to strop away without so much as a slight nick, and yes the razor was sharp. Thing I'm notici screwscng is, on the Puma the spine, shoulder, and shank are exactly the same width at their widest point. So if you lay the blade flat, you can strop away even if part of the shank is over the strop......Yesterday I finally broke out my brand new expensive Dovo 3 1/8" strop, and used it to strop my recently Honed By Lynn Red Imp Wedge..Lynn had reccomended to me that a wide strop would be easier to use early on as a newbie, because the whole blade will have contact with the strop....anyway I stropped my imp, and noticed when I was done a couple of nicks on the edge of the strop! I was sure I didn't screw up, as I was really careful....what I figured out is, on the Red Imp 132, the shank is wider than the shoulder, and spine of the blade..and where it meets is a sharp square edge, so if you have the entire blade on the strop, the square edge of the shank is just riding along the edge of my strop, essentially shaving it, or fraying it, a little. And if I'm not careful and the shank rest on the strop even a little, it will bring the heel side of the blade a couple of mm off the strop, and id be stropping point heavy..anyway, I'm sure this is pretty common, and being new, I just don't know what the hell I'm doing, so what's the technique to keep my imps heel side of blade on the strop without having the shank shred my strop?Thanks for your help......Also is it possible I ruined the edge, and need rehoning?

So I have read your post a few times and can't really visualize what's happening....any chance of a picture?? If what I am visualizing is correct would a slight heal forward position help??

If you are leaning the blade as you strop you get the edge feathers, it means you are riding the razor off the side of the strop wrong

Don't do that


Light even equal strokes, pay attention to the spine watch and feel the spine move up and down the strop make sure the spine is always in contact with the strop and the edge will do just fine...

No disrespect, but I think you have to take a deep breath and relax, you're severely over-thinking the whole process. Unlike a hone, a strop has flex and will cover the entire blade whether you realize it or not, so shanks and spines and shoulders really have no bearing on stropping at all. When starting out it is not uncommon to nick the strop a bit as well. There are various remedies, but it's important to flip the razor while still in motion and to keep your wrist and elbow slightly elevated so the razor is level to the strop during the entire lap.

In the meantime, I'd highly recommend watching some online stropping videos and study the form and function. AFDavis11's vid (on the SRP homepage) and is a great resource, as is hi_bud_gl's. Remember, stropping is supposed to be a relaxed, fluid motion. Hesitation will not allow you to get the most out of it.

Thanks guys

I think I'm following. Try angling the razor so that the tip is following the base. Strops and hones were usually made 2 and a 1/2 inches wide. The whole 3 inch wide is easier campaign, for both hones and strops, simply befuddles me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I think I'm following. Try angling the razor so that the tip is following the base. Strops and hones were usually made 2 and a 1/2 inches wide. The whole 3 inch wide is easier campaign, for both hones and strops, simply befuddles me.

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Yep you got it. That's what I've been doing. I just wish I didn't have to be so careful. At least I do with this razor (imp) as the shaft is a little wider than the rest of razor. Other razors lay flush from the shaft on down to the spine of the blade so its not a problem..oh well, I guess I'll be chewing up a $100 strop, because it seems to happen, no matter how careful I am..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chefbaze

Yep you got it. That's what I've been doing. I just wish I didn't have to be so careful. At least I do with this razor (imp) as the shaft is a little wider than the rest of razor. Other razors lay flush from the shaft on down to the spine of the blade so its not a problem..oh well, I guess I'll be chewing up a $100 strop, because it seems to happen, no matter how careful I am..

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$100.00 ???
Spend less. Hunt for an Illinois 827 Razor Strop 2.5" x 23" Imperial Russia with Handle

The split leather does not show scuffs and scrapes the way other
leather surfaces do.

Note that the back of the leather has deep washboard
impressions because the leather is rolled under serious pressure and split
to a constant thickness. If you "feel" this washboard through the leather
you are pressing 100 times too hard.

The canvas side takes a while to break in -- if you worry it with your
lapping DMT to knock down the lumps of the weave and spray the
canvas with sub-micron bits a couple times it will settle in quickly.

For the leather side you can use the same DMT to knock off the fuzzy worms a bit
if you hate them.

As you stropping skill improves and you spend more time on your finer
strop you will find that the 827 makes a great pasted strop for post honing
with half micron or quarter micron bits sprayed or dusted on it.

I have one and have abused it sixty ways to Sunday. Despite the
abuse it has become my favorite strop.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niftyshaving

$100.00 ???
Spend less. Hunt for an Illinois 827 Razor Strop 2.5" x 23" Imperial Russia with Handle

The split leather does not show scuffs and scrapes the way other
leather surfaces do.

Note that the back of the leather has deep washboard
impressions because the leather is rolled under serious pressure and split
to a constant thickness. If you "feel" this washboard through the leather
you are pressing 100 times too hard.

The canvas side takes a while to break in -- if you worry it with your
lapping DMT to knock down the lumps of the weave and spray the
canvas with sub-micron bits a couple times it will settle in quickly.

For the leather side you can use the same DMT to knock off the fuzzy worms a bit
if you hate them.

As you stropping skill improves and you spend more time on your finer
strop you will find that the 827 makes a great pasted strop for post honing
with half micron or quarter micron bits sprayed or dusted on it.

I have one and have abused it sixty ways to Sunday. Despite the
abuse it has become my favorite strop.

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What do you mean spend less? I already have this strop. Its a Dovo xl... I guess I could put up for sale and ” spend less” on my next strop.

Thanks. For all the stropping advice though..
Regards
BP

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chefbaze

What do you mean spend less? I already have this strop. Its a Dovo xl... I guess I could put up for sale and ” spend less” on my next strop.

Thanks. For all the stropping advice though..
Regards
BP

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Good point....

Aha, Dovo XL (good strop), Yes you can use the back.
The back (split side) of the Dovo XL is as good as the 827.
If it is a bit rough take a suede brush to it.

Be very gentle with any strop dressing on the XL strop.
I once used too much neatsfoot oil and it wanted to
cup on me. It took a lot of work with clean paper to
get it right again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Good point....

Aha, Dovo XL (good strop), Yes you can use the back.
The back (split side) of the Dovo XL is as good as the 827.
If it is a bit rough take a suede brush to it.

Be very gentle with any strop dressing on the XL strop.
I once used too much neatsfoot oil and it wanted to
cup on me. It took a lot of work with clean paper to
get it right again.

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Thanks. I was going to sell it and get a srp modular paddle, as its versatile, and. I could change out the leather pieces if I destroy them....if I keep it, I will sand down the backside as you suggest... Thanks Again

BP

"flip the razor while still in motion"

I would add to this that "still in motion" refers, I think, to the direction of the motion already having been changed. The spine stays on the strop, and as you get near the end of your stroke, the edge rolls above the spine and then re-contacts the strop AFTER the motion has changed direction. It is almost impossible to cut a strop this way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chefbaze

Thanks. I was going to sell it and get a srp modular paddle, as its versatile, and. I could change out the leather pieces if I destroy them....if I keep it, I will sand down the backside as you suggest... Thanks Again

BP

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As paddle strops go the modular paddle strop is a very good one.
Their hanging strops are also made in a way that makes replacing
the leather or canvas easy. The replacement leather.... very fair price.
You are on the right track....

Enjoy ...

Newbie. Same question. Weiss razor, small, spike point. My 3" wide strop (shown red) is much wider than the overall length of my blade. The heel is square at the corner and is quite thick all the way down to the edge. Stropping it straight up and down as shown in the diagram, would I be stropping toe heavy? (ie lifting the heel end of the edge off the strop) Should I be keeping that thick squared heel hanging off the edge of the strop while stropping?

Unlike honing, where at some point you'd like strokes to hit the entire edge to keep it even, there's no such necessity with stropping. You can work on the heel area separately to the toe area. I often do this on my narrower strops - the strop does not have to hit the entire edge in each stroke.

So besides Alan's advice on angling the blade in the horizontal plane, I'd also suggest angling it in the vertical plane for the heel (ie lift the tip so the strop just hits the heel end), and moving the blade toward you (no angling) so it only hits the toe end. Do each half of the razor separately and see how that goes.

James.

Since the strop is flexible there is not a lot of worry in any case.

I find that I habitually line up the heal edge of the blade
with the edge of the strop and start with slow
linear stropping strokes. After ten or so I move to a
more X like stroke so I do not miss the toe. With a classic
2" strop this would be a non question....

Keep the weight of the razor light on a tight enough strop
and all will be well.

Smooth and even strokes are key. Watch Lynn's video
where he grabs his strop after honing. This video... at about 2:45
Straight Razor Place '09 Convention. Lynn Honing #3
Straight Razor Place '09 Convention. Lynn Honing #3 - YouTube

Lynn has a host of videos worth a look...