Well this little exercise was interesting. Watching myself strop from a few different angles revealed some interesting insight...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2li...feature=colike
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Well this little exercise was interesting. Watching myself strop from a few different angles revealed some interesting insight...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2li...feature=colike
Count me in if it not to late. After reading all 53 pages of the JaNorton I am sure there will be lots of useful info here as well. I cannot do video but I have ordered the CrOx and paddle strop to my first pasted stopping. It should be here in a week or so. I am a noob so if you don't want the inexperienced just let me know and I will sit back and watch.
More fun stuff............
Straight Razor Stropping for Beginners - YouTube
Count me in of course. :)
I might give it a go, actually...
Carl
No video to post this morning, since I shaved last night (and just moved, but I intend to get things going tomorrow). So this is the first official day, right?
Well, this was highly instructional. It's amazing what you can learn just from watching yourself. Just goes to prove that you can learn anything from anyone, even it is what NOT to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HsP6kQBLIU
Wow this is great. Great for a newb like me to watch. :D
Here's my vid. Sorry about the quality, I had to turn the resolution down a lot to get a reasonable frame rate.
Looking at it, I'm moving my wrist more than I thought I was. Something to work on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTv7aLL-y1Q
Count me in :)
Okay here's my first official video for Stroptober.
Strop: Kangaroo
Fabric: Webbing makes a real zippy sound
The angle of the camera is such that it looks like I'm getting real close to the top attachments, but I'm really a few inches away from it so no worries about banging that bit. Since I've only been stropping for a month now critiques are more than welcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c3NDqKzNM0&feature=youtu.be
Special Chat tonight to kick off Stroptoberfest!!!!
Bring all your questions and comments.
Have fun
All I can say is I strop way slower than you guys. Slow and deliberate.
Maybe my angle wasn't as good as I thought... Oh well, have at it. All criticism is welcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpdGF-9t7IU
Ok, here is my first video ever. I think I was thinking more about the video than I was about actually stroping the razor.
I'm a newbe so I have only been at this for a little over a month. All feed back is welcome:)
Here's my strop, it has several nicks and two bad cuts/gouges
I used a pumice stone on the smaller nicks and found that going with the length of the nick was more effective at removing it than going against it. The gouge, I laid a utility blade against and with it, and carefully cut it away. I then used 320 grit sandpaper to try and smooth it all out. Topped it off with some neatsfoot (caution: do not poor on to leather, use a cloth if you want the leather to have an even tone). I'm not thrilled with the results (looks wise) but it's better than what it was and I feel still usable. with some more time I could probably get it in better condition maybe a power sander? End result ordered a new prettier strop:p
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I've noticed that Unit and I seem to be "flipping" our razors with a turn of the wrist, while most of the rest of you are turning with your thumbs. Is their a correct and incorrect to this, or is it a matter of preference?
This is the first video I watched when I first started and this is how I learned. I see alot of wrist turners so I really have no idea, basically I think whatever gets the job done is good!
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
Many experienced razor guys seem to agree that wrist movement is to be avoided. I cannot say why...it just seems like a lot of reading I did early on said that.
However, I have developed my technique as a derivation from the way I fave stropped other cutlery for many years. This works for me... I do use my fingers, but my wrist moves a lot also.
Essentially my stropping style developed with very little wrist movement - most of the flip coming from the fingers - because it felt the most natural and fluent. I also think it is a more controlled movement particularly at speed, but that can be debatable I imagine.
I've found the secret to overall success with stropping and shaving is to develop techniques that minimise large movements: flip with the fingers when stropping, use the wrist and elbow rather than the shoulder when shaving. You could think of that as an application of the "minimax" principle I suppose: minimising the maximum potential disaster by making sure movements are small rather than large. Or perhaps it is just another example of my cautious approach to things, who knows?
In the end it is whatever works for you, of course. However, it may just be that developing less wrist and more finger might eventually lead to a better, faster, and more fluent stropping stroke.
James.
I watched both videos and it looks to me that on the return stroke the razor digs in the leather probably from the heavy wrist movement.
I used to do the same thing but i learned to strop without moving my wrist and its definately an improvement.I hold the razor between my thumb and index finger at the tang and both finger flip the razor the scales rest inside my hand my pinkie actually helps the flipping as well hard to describe.
Another thing i notice is both of you hold the razor with the thumb on top of the tang and that will cause the wrist movement, there is no way to flip the razor without moving the wrist with the thumb on top of the tang.
Here is my StropTober video! Let me know how you guys like it! Critique is welcome!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjJsg4CB_-0&feature=plcp
Parker
(Sorry for the poor quality.. Sony Vegas made the normal size 9gb! Wayyy to big!)
Looks good to me. Better than mine, actually.Quote:
Originally Posted by parkerskouson
I figured I'd strop tomorrow's razor to try to get a better angle on what's happening. Definately wrist movement for the flip. I'm not seeing the dig, though. The sound is pretty consistent. I need to continue to evaluate.
Back in the Chat tonight for any Stroptoberfest questions.
Have fun.
I might give this a go. Got a camera, might as well use it.
Thought I'd do a Stroptober video too this is what it looks like if your left handed, sorry about the video, all I have is an Iphone :) comments welcome-good/bad...looks to me when I slow the vid down I'm flipping the blade with my thumb, keeping my wrist in one position and moving from the elbow & shoulder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plYA3BK4exY
This is my first Youtube vid......
Tried to view it and it looks like you have it set to private so you need to set the youtube thingy to public.
I strop alone........:hmmm:
Figured out how to make "the video" public, didn't realize, it was only..... my 5th attempt, Wife and kids kept bugging me....
Not to call anyone out :D but we have a lot of beginner to intermediate folks contributing so far without many experienced guys (except Lynn, of course). Where did the rest of you go?
Meh, I would suggest a couple things:
1. I think the learning comes from making a video and watching yourSELF.
2. It is early in the month...so there is time;)
3. Perhaps the veterans are watching the amateurs and will decide how to make a video that helps most based on what they see us doing?
I know it was a learning opportunity for me, and I also know that more than watching other videos, I simply need to practice and "hone" my techniques. There is no amount of video watching or strop acquisition that will improve most of us...it is simply applying what we already know, but cannot seem to consistently employ...and making videos seems like great way to analyze one'self.
Thanks! I appreciate the help so far!
Nah, the more experienced guys are either intimidated by our stropping prowess or they can't pick themselves off the floor from laughing so hard...:rofl2:
I haven't even stropped yet, going to do it tonight for the first time, but I've watched a lot of videos and have read a lot too. Is it just me, or does it look like you are pressing down a bit too hard? Remember, to only use the weight of the blade. No pressing down. :)
Stropping pressure has been one of my primary concerns. In fact I may have messed up my razor at some point by using too much pressure. I got on the chat a couple of nights ago, and asked this same question, and asked for feed back on the video. My conclusion about stroping pressure is that explaining how much pressure to use in stropping is about as complicated as explaining what gnosticism is... Some people feel that more pressure helps and some use increasingly less pressure as they progress through the process. One of the Sr. guys on the chat said the video of me stroping looked good, but I certainly think I could improve in a lot of areas, specifically I think I am moving my wrist too much, but I am comfortable with my pressure. My conclusion is that the best way to talk about pressure is to use "Not no pressure." To me that means slightly more than the weight of the blade, but not much more. Again I am happy for all the senior members to comment and let me know if I am in error in my assessment. And thank you so much for your feedback dorknight. I am super open to criticism. Please excuse the run on sentences...:aargh:
Some really good stuff so far, just got back from the Denver Meet Up, I am going to try and do a Vid this weekend and answer some of the questions that came up at the meet too.. Gotta watch the rest that are already on here :tu