Thread: Help... I think I stropped my razor dull!

2005, Its not uncommon for a noob to dull his razor from stropping. I excelled at it. 'Ate 5 strops. Dulled more edges than my memory will allow me to recall. You're learning. You'll get there.

One thing I loved about Glen's 3/11 beginner's tips thread was the technique of laying a hanging strop on a hard, flat surface, taking the requirement for keeping tension out of the equation. Its a thread worth going through more than once. I sure have. I found it relieving to see Glen's strops w/ many sanding marks - even the pros make mistakes. If he can nick a strop, I don't feel quite as bad.

If you need a hand w/ edges, I'd be happy to help - just the cost to mail it back to you. This is where its handy to have a 2nd blade so you're still shaving while one is out having an edge refreshed.

Keep going - the stropping gets easier.

I've been waiting for SirStropALot to comment here...

Originally Posted by pinklather

One thing I loved about Glen's 3/11 beginner's tips thread was the technique of laying a hanging strop on a hard, flat surface, taking the requirement for keeping tension out of the equation.

That's also one reason for (good quality) paddle and bench strops.


2005xfr, glad to see it worked out for you. The common understanding is that stropping on leather re-aligns the edge after it has been microscopically (for lack of a better word) dulled by cutting through stubble. I personally doubt there's such a thing as 'over-stropping' and that when everything is re-aligned, there's no improvement. I have found though that there is a threshold of laps, a minimum. In my experience, it takes around 40-60 laps on a good strop to achieve such re-alignment (or if it is something else, a good result). So if your technique is good, I seriously doubt that it's possible to make 'too many laps', yet understropping is possible.

I also believe that stropping is an underestimated aspect of getting a great shaving edge. I have tried on occasion to shave without stropping and NONE of those shaves were acceptable, resulting in pulling and irritation.

I think that smooth, confident and consistent strokes, whether on hone or strop, are what leads to success. When you have those qualities, a little speed comes with the territory. It doesn't work the other way around.

A paddle strop does solve the issue of strop tension. It also takes out most of the deflection as far as I can tell. I'm not sure if that really matters, but it's worth mentioning. I have at times suspected that the lack of deflection is harming my result when using a paddle strop. The last time I honed, I just left the tape on before going to the paddle (plain leather).

Michael

For me, pushing the razor's edge down into the leather while stropping results in a dramatically sharper and smoother blade than if I strop lightly and tentatively.

Originally Posted by JeffR

For me, pushing the razor's edge down into the leather while stropping results in a dramatically sharper and smoother blade than if I strop lightly and tentatively.

For me , pushing the razor's edge down into the leather while stropping results in 2 strops
I'm sure that's not what you meant

Originally Posted by onimaru55

For me , pushing the razor's edge down into the leather while stropping results in 2 strops
I'm sure that's not what you meant

Last time I tried that I sliced my strop in two!

I like to concentrate on technique, and then speed, but I find I need to check my speed at times, to concentrate on form. I consider myself foolish if I stupidly relinquish control and wreck the edge...