Thread: Stropping is King

I have to agree with PuFF though. Either you trust what I've already said, or how will you trust what I say in the future?

Only problem I see is this. Assuming my success is due to a physical "knack" that I've developed over time with practice (and that's what I've claimed from the start), all your experiment will really prove is that I have not been cheating (which is what your camp has been implying for some time). But then you will still be left with the dilema of the "knack" thing.

Why should I have to prove that I haven't been cheating? You're implying that either I don't know my shave equipment (my strop has some magic abrassive on it that lasts for years with only one application), or, that I am somehow dishonest about my success To what end would that serve me?? I'm making nothing from this. In fact I've provided guides and videos free to anyone who wants to learn from them.
And, are one of you guys going to stand over me for 100 shaves??

Either way, I am still game to the "challenge." Sounds fun to me.

Scott

Puff, I was just expressing my understandable skepticism and I suggested a practical way to test this theory.
Scott, I'm glad you're willing to go along with the idea and that you are keeping an open mind. Even though I have a healthy dose of skepticism I still think your theory has enough of a validity to warrant a proper test.
As for the honing, ofcourse you can re-hone. We could use Lynn or Joe Chandler and Randy Tuttle as members who didn't get too involved in this discussion and whose honing techniques are beyond reproach. That is just so we can say that a shave ready blade had been delivered to you. If you wish to modify it before the experiment starts, that would be perfectly fine.
Using a commercially available strop in addition to a Heirloom would raise the costs of the experiment a bit (as it would also require another razor) but I don't see it as too much of an obstacle.
Therefore, we need:
1 Honemeister to initially hone the blades and to evaluate their shave-readiness after the 100 shave test.
2 Blades up to Scott's specs
1 Illinois strop
1 Heirloom strop, closely matching the Illinois
Am I missing anything?

Originally Posted by honedright

I have to agree with PuFF though. Either you trust what I've already said, or how will you trust what I say in the future?

Either way, I am still game to the "challenge." Sounds fun to me.

Scott

That's the beauty of my experiment.. The blades would get sent to a honemeister for a final evaluation once the experiment is over.
I am inclined to believe that your blades are shave-ready according to your standards. My doubts mostly revolve around them.

Scott,

I trust what you've said, but I still think the challenge sounds like a good idea. Having Lynn hone the razor and then reevaluate it at the end is a nice control for the experiment. What it does is take your particular skin and shaving technique out of the equation, allowing us to see how the edge itself held up.

I certainly wouldn't challenge your word on any of this, but the challenge Firestart has proposed would help us figure out if there's anything going on that you aren't aware of.

This has been a robust debate on an area of straight razor use that hasn't been explored as well as others. I'm not turned off by it, although we do need to remember to keep it civil.

Just my two cents,
Josh

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

My best shaving razor has never seen a hone since the day i bought it 23 years ago (I think), it has only ever been stropped and then mainly on differing grades of plain leather, with the odd refresh on a pasted hanging strop.

I think you're missing my point. You seem to agree with me that you need the "odd refresh." So you're not doing it just with plain leather. That's all I said. I never said you must use a hone. I do exactly what you do, but I refresh with a fine hone.

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

Can you not take his word for it instead of being negative. I don't see why he/we should have to prove anything. Surely it is for you to dissprove in the usual tradition of the scientist. You border on calling us liars, though I know you don't mean it this way.

In fact, I'm taking his word for the RESULT. I just disagree with his assumed EXPLANATION. That's not calling him a liar. But you have even less reason for accepting his explanation, because you refresh your razor, admitting that a leather strop alone won't do it.

Set aside one razor and try to achieve what we can

I already achieve what you can, but can you achieve what Scott does- no refreshing?

give it justifiable time for the test to work (months), then report back. I believe that if you dedicate yourself to achieving this goal, then you to will recognise that this method has merit.

That's what I plan to do, but I want to use a normal strop that works for him. That's the reason for my offer. I'm sure hiis method has merit, because it works. I'm just trying to find out what it is, and if it requires a strop in a special condition.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Joe and I both share a certain amount of scientific skepticism. What you gentlemen are suggesting goes against tonsorial tradition, accumulated experience and the accepted modern theories, which leads us to believe one of the following:

I would use the singular "you" here, because only Scott doesn't refresh. If the routine includes refreshing with an abrasive in any form, then it makes sense.

If Scott is successful, I'll buy the strop from him to experiment with it and see if I can learn his technique.

Well, assuming this really goes off, here's my requirements:

Razor - good quality full hollow ground. Preferably 6/8's, but 5/8's will do. Prefer carbon steel, but will try stainless too.

Strop - Double hanging strop. I prefer a professional style like the IRS 361 - 24 3/4" long x 2 1/2" wide, no handle attached. But anything will do as long as it is good quality.

Hone - If I determine I need to re-hone I'll be using my own barber hones. I don't own a Norton, but if you think that is an important variable, send one of those too.

By the way, I've been really intrigued by the Pakastani junker razors and related strops. If someone wants to send one of those, I will give my honest evaluation of those as well.

Send to: Sayco Online, 154-A W. Foothill Blvd. #141, Upland, Ca. 91786

All will be returned. You let me know when and where.

Scott

Scott, just for the sake of clarification, your definition of Strop would contain no abrasives on the surface? I am asking this because I've seen paddle/hanging/loom/bench strops with abrasives on them, so I want to make sure we're on the same page.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Scott, just for the sake of clarification, your definition of Strop would contain no abrasives on the surface? I am asking this because I've seen paddle/hanging/loom/bench strops with abrasives on them, so I want to make sure we're on the same page.

That has been your point for debate hasn't it? Yes, just a plain, unpasted strop same as you might purchase from Fromm, I suppose Tony, Hand American, Dovo, etc.

Just as long as it is a good quality strop specifically made for stropping straight razors.

Scott