Thread: How much pressure when stropping?

If I may, Binder. Keep a chill until Oct 1st and there will be a big pile of stropping info here. Look for a thread called "Stroptober". Some of the more experienced guys will be stropping for you and it will be discussed in great detail. In my opinion, every blade strops differently, so one must learn to "feel" as one strops. Not too heavy, taught strop, not too tight, not too loose. A matter of feel involved. Different strops and different leathers and different razors. Different requirements. JMO One thing is certain. It is like shaving and honing. No two men do it the same exact way. Techniques differ widely. You will find one which suits you.
I, for one, am looking forward to learning from it. Stropping is the most important part of maintaining an edge and you will gain significant knowledge from it, I promise!

Some would pressure you to use absolutely no pressure, but I'd be hard pressed not to pressure you to use at least a bit of pressure.

I agree - pressure can be useful under the right conditions. It's always the same old story - gaining enough experience to know when and where and what. We can help with advice, but in the end the best teacher is often trial and, I'm afraid to say, error.

James.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I have a better idea about stropping. I will keep a lookout for STROPTOBER, that should be interesting.

Originally Posted by binder

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I have a better idea about stropping. I will keep a lookout for STROPTOBER, that should be interesting.

The thread is already up...but the entries thus far may or may not be helpful (mine is no more than me showing my stropping from several angles)...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...st-2012-a.html

It varies with the leather, to me at least. I can keep an edge up for quite a while with horse butt as long as after the first 25 shaves or so, when the edge seems to go a little, I add more pressure to the stropping stroke from time to time. It'll easily push an edge to 50 shaves like that.

I never had the same luck with cowhide, but cowhide isn't as hard, and at least fresh, horse butt has more effect on the edge (so much so that in raw from it's too abrasive for a while).

That's relevant conversation for a horse butt hanging strop. Spine on the leather and entire edge makes contact with the strop during a stroke, with the former being necessary no matter what and the latter being a preference so that the whole razor is evenly stropped without thinking about it.

When I am teaching new guys how to strop I demonstrate and show them that I gauge my pressure based upon the amount of deflection in the strop. I try for 1/2" to 1" of deflection. Of course that assumes that the strop is held taut. But.... I also only use strops with a very slick surface ( mostly vintage horsehise ( shell)), no latigo or crisp cowhide strops.

Using softer leather like cowhide, would someone use less pressure than horsehide. The strop I have is from Whippeddog. I think it is bridle leather.

Thanks

Hmmmm....your doing the same thing I do when starting something new...I over engineer and make things far more complex than they need to be.
So, start by using the same pressure then experiment and adjust from there.

Just be sue to keep both the edge & the spine in contact with the leather during the stroke. Most new guys think the edge is fragile and fail to keep it on the strop. That is the most common mistake, then your wasting your time. The second most common mistake is to use a fast stroke. That leads to lack of control over both pressure and keeping the edge & spine on the strop.
Take it easy, a full round trip lap should take anywhere from at least 1 second to 4 seconds. Enjoy the process, don't rush it.

Well, I have rambled long enough, time to finish my first cup of coffee for the day.

Originally Posted by binder

Using softer leather like cowhide, would someone use less pressure than horsehide. The strop I have is from Whippeddog. I think it is bridle leather.

Thanks

I appreciate your post, Randydance. I read in a couple of places that stropping needs to be quick -- round trip in no longer than a second. Since I have only been at this 3 months and consider myself pretty new, I am still taking it slow -- maybe 2-3 seconds. Glad to hear that slower is OK.

I am focused on training muscle memory, keeping the spine on the strop, maintaining a taut strop (too taut, I worry) with the edge trailing in contact all the way. I'm putting a bit more pressure on the spine and on the edge. So far, so good. Paranoid about ruining an edge. I have an old time barber friend who is returning to health and when he is up and about I'm hoping to get more tips from him. I started with an Illinois 361, then a 3" latigo but have pretty much been working on a 3" SRD Premium recently. I accept that stropping is a crucial part of this endeavor but the experiment with getting it right is taking awhile. Worthwhile, I hope.