Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 32
Like Tree26Likes

Thread: To strop or not to strop. That is the question.

  1. #1
    < Banned User >
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Greenwood, Nova Scotia
    Posts
    1,144
    Thanked: 116

    Default To strop or not to strop. That is the question.

    I think that most of us would agree that stropping is something that we can't live without. This morning I re-honed my new Red-point 917 and finished it on my 15k+ welsh slate mystery hone. After 40 passes with no pressure and just water, I wanted to see what it could do to hair. I grabbed a strand of my wife's hair, which is extremely fine, and went to work. The blade was passing the HHT in a few spots along the blade. SO I started stropping. I did 100 passes on my vintage pigskin strop and was amazed with the difference! The blade is now passing the HHT throughout the length of the blade. A few times the edge bit the hair and actually split the wife's fine hair!

    In conclusion, stropping is a must, for me anyways. I've seen people mention shaving right off their finishers but after today I'm clearly sold on it. I think my stropping technique has improved greatly over the month I've been shaving with a straight razor as well and perhaps that has something to do with the final edge on my razor!


  2. #2
    Senior Member Hutch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    305
    Thanked: 32

    Default To strop or not to strop. That is the question.

    Proper stropping does produce a different edge, but the argument can also be made that that edge is not completely necessary to actually get a good shave. The hanging hair test is not shaving so it really is pretty irrelevant to the suitability of the razor to actually shave comfortably. If the razor shaves and doesn't pull and tug and cause irritation is by far a better measure.

    Take DE blades one of the sharpest is probably Feathers, those blades cause a ton of irritation on my face and I've heard the same from others.

    That said, I do strop 20-40 times maybe and get a good shave, I do think there are lots of factors and skin and beard type are probably just as big a factor.

  3. #3
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    17,250
    Thanked: 3221

    Default

    I don't do HHT at all. As a general rule my first shave was off an 8000 Naniwa now replaced with a 12000 Naniwa finished on a pasted balsa strop. If that shaves well then the next time the blade gets 60 passes on the leather strop before shaving. There generally is an improvement after using the strop.

    Did my DD Special yesterday and got a very nice shave directly off the finishing pasted strop. Today, after stropping on leather, the shave was smoother yet. So yea I do believe that stropping adds to getting the best edge you can get. In that sense it is a must for me too but only after the first shave on a freshly honed blade.

    Bob

  4. #4
    Senior Member 111Nathaniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Newfoundland, Canada
    Posts
    266
    Thanked: 23

    Default

    I had recently started a thread about this. Stropping is obviously needed. Once i was sharpening a knife, it wasn't grabbing the hair on my arm just skipping over it, then i kinda "stropped" my knife on a scrap piece of leather which brought the blade around to taking hair off. I just found it interesting that leather could bring a blade like a knife around that much.

    http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...stropping.html

  5. #5
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    2,516
    Thanked: 369

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Hutch View Post
    If the razor shaves and doesn't pull and tug and cause irritation is by far a better measure.
    Isn't this essentially the same as the HHT? Instead of hanging from your finger tips, the hair is "hanging" from your face. The "trick" is to learn what it should feel like when the razor cuts the hair while hanging from the fingers to know how it will feel on the face. Even better to couple this with the so called "thumb pad test" and then you will never have to "test shave" again.

  6. #6
    Senior Member ironsidegnr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    265
    Thanked: 30

    Default

    Stropping is a MUST for me as well.

    Although I have been meaning to shave directly off of my Naniwa 12k, perhaps tomorrow....

    I'm not even going to go into the HHT thing.........It's been discussed enough lately.

    I think this happened already, but tomorrow I'm refreshing a blade on my 12k and just shaving with it....who's with me!???? <crickets>


    Ok, I'll let you know how it goes!
    Through the mud and the blood, to the green fields beyond.

  7. #7
    There is no charge for Awesomeness Jimbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Maleny, Australia
    Posts
    7,977
    Thanked: 1587
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default

    I didn't realise that people felt that not stropping was even an option..... ?? Perhaps we need to work harder on that basic message?

    James.
    <This signature intentionally left blank>

  8. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jimbo For This Useful Post:

    dave5225 (09-09-2012), mapleleafalumnus (09-09-2012)

  9. #8
    Seņor Member (the name is Dave) DFriedl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Sarver, Pennsylvania, United States
    Posts
    683
    Thanked: 88

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    I didn't realise that people felt that not stropping was even an option..... ?? Perhaps we need to work harder on that basic message?.
    I don't know, this is the first link on the website, and says:

    The following items are considered the basic equipment. Basic means that without either of these items, your shave will most likely be sub-optimal or even painful.
    • 1 or 2 straight razors. Do make sure to read our list of straight razor brands to avoid, lest you invest in a razor that will never shave.
    • A strop (most people use hanging but paddle or loom will also work); the canvas/linen side is optional, but very highly recommended.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to DFriedl For This Useful Post:

    mapleleafalumnus (09-09-2012)

  11. #9
    Senior Member ironsidegnr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    265
    Thanked: 30

    Default

    Don't get me wrong. I'm debating the requirement to use one, just trying to get a feel for the
    improvement that it gives a freshly honed blade.

    The only way I can think of is a before and after comparison with my face....


    It's going to have to wait until Monday though, I forgot that I did a 3 pass this morning. I'm not shaving tomorrow at all.
    niftyshaving likes this.
    Through the mud and the blood, to the green fields beyond.

  12. #10
    ace
    ace is offline
    Senior Member blabbermouth ace's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    3,362
    Thanked: 581

    Default

    I have really wanted to try shaving with an unstropped razor, but I am so addicted to the great shaves I've been getting with my stropped razors that I keep forgetting to do it. Plus I really enjoy laying 100 laps on a razor that shaved great in the morning. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow, but maybe not.
    dave5225 likes this.

Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •