Thread: Linen "Leveling Effect"

Originally Posted by Edwardd

Ok my straight face will tell you.I strop every 3 shaves and it works just fine for me and it is pleasant!YMMV......

Okay, but are you talking about a freshly or recently honed razor, or one that has completed a couple dozen shaves? Have you tried consistently shaving without stropping?

I understand that YMMV, but I'm curious as to why you would skip on the stropping on a semi-regular basis.....

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Okay, but are you talking about a freshly or recently honed razor, or one that has completed a couple dozen shaves? Have you tried consistently shaving without stropping?
Yes to all the above,fresh off the stone and two dozen shaves in.Every three shaves the blade starts to pull.Just like a mach 3 gets dull.At that point I strop on a paddle to bring the edge back in line.Maybe my beard is lighter than yours,all I know is that it works for me.

I understand that YMMV, but I'm curious as to why you would skip on the stropping on a semi-regular basis.....

Tha mach 3 worked for several shaves before it pulled.I don't see why a straight can't go 3 shaves before needing the edge realigned.

I should also add that this is how my grandad did it.

Originally Posted by Edwardd

Tha mach 3 worked for several shaves before it pulled.I don't see why a straight can't go 3 shaves before needing the edge realigned.

I should also add that this is how my grandad did it.

I think you may have something there. On rare occasion I simply forget to strop, and for what it's worth, I can't tell the difference during the shave. When I realize that I hadn't stropped, I then get hit with the post-shave syndrome. I feel like I have razor burn, etc., while in actuality it was bbs with zero discomfort.
It's a bit like when you see a roach crawling up your pant leg, so you flick it off, but you keep feeling that bug crawling feeling afterwards. It's not clear how much of this is psychological phenomenon.

If you can shave without stropping at regular intervals and it feels good to you, more power to you.

Originally Posted by Edwardd

Tha mach 3 worked for several shaves before it pulled.I don't see why a straight can't go 3 shaves before needing the edge realigned.
I should also add that this is how my grandad did it.

You cannot compare a Mach 3 blade with a straight. Mach 3 blades are coated with a hard substance that increases the useful life of the edge.

Trying to say this nicely,,,

If you don't notice an improvement from stropping, perhaps you should improve your stropping

There is a quanitative improvement on the edge after stropping, it can be seen, measured, and felt.. There can also be a negative effect from stropping incorrectly, that can be seen, measured, and felt...

Your missing something in your stropping technique, or you Nickname is Leatherface


Edit: This also has nothing to do with "Just" shaving, it only has bearing on the upper end of this hobby, you can shave just fine with what many consider sub-par edges, heck you can shave off a 1k stone why not off an un-stropped edge...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

.........If you don't notice an improvement from stropping, perhaps you should improve your stropping ....................

Glen, I am absolutely with your stropping observation and is one of the reasons that I asked the original question. I notice a difference stropping after using 0.1 CBM, it is most definitely there. The advertised grit of CBN is 160,000 yet after 50 or 60 laps on leather the edge is smoother and more forgiving. Should not matter .....but it does .


Take care,
R

I notice a smoothing effect too from stropping after CBN--linen does seem optional but leather is still indispensable. Palm stropping alone wasn't quite enough.

I would agree that most can shave fine off of a not so good edge, but me personally, I can't do any other than 1 pass, WTG only w/ a dull edge or I get ingrowns & loads of irritation. Sensitive skin & sensitive hair follicles aplenty. Probably most guys though can get away w/ more than me if they have good shaving technique would be my guess.

I have one strop that is 79,000 grit, and another that is 92,000.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

There is a quanitative improvement on the edge after stropping, it can be seen, measured, and felt.. There can also be a negative effect from stropping incorrectly, that can be seen, measured, and felt...

I definately agree that it can be felt, but I have not ever physically seen a qualitative improvement (as I assume that's what you meant). I've also measured it after honing with an improvement in the HHT, but again that is debatable and most certainly not generally accepted as a valid measuring device. And that's also not the point of why I use it.

I am really genuinely interested in how you have seen and measured the qualitative improvement of an edge after stropping, because I know it does but can't for the life of me tell why and I find that a little frustrating (to a very minor extent of course).