Thread: Stropping is King

Originally Posted by honedright

Simple, Practice. (And remember, I've been at this for about 27 years. That might have a little to do with it but the first 10 years or so was mostly trial and error, so keep at it guys! )

If stropping technique can't be taught or even described, that might explain why it receives less attention on SRP than honing. Nothing can take the place of experience, but those who have it with regards to honing have devised pyramids, sharpness tests and so on as ways to translate, however imperfectly, knowledge that lives in the hands into knowledge that lives in the head, and can therefore be communicated over the internet.

If it's going to take us 10 years to liberate us from regular honing, then we'll be needing those honing skills in the meantime!

Well, when I said practice is the secret, that's what I meant. There is no secret to stropping beyond the simple basics practiced to perfection.

I think we all know how to strop. And I've even provided a video showing how I strop in both slow motion and fast.

I've already proposed some guidlines to gauge that journey to perfection, such as being able to continue shaving with your razor for at least six months using only a strop to maintain your keen edge.
If you cannot do that, then it is (I think) a good indicator that you need to re-evaluate your stropping technique and maybe try different things all the time sticking to the basic fundamentals.
Maybe more/less pressure, faster/slower, more or less passes, etc, etc. If you are unwilling to keep practicing, re-evaluating, and practicing some more, then you may have to settle for just good enough. And maybe that is sufficient for some, and maybe even most.
I get the impression from a few of the posts I've read on SRP, that at least some newbies want instant success at this. I think that is a little unrealistic.

I've found that much, in getting that perfect edge, is very intuitive. There is no one right way that will achieve the perfect edge everytime. You must have the experience under your belt to really master it.

Now that all doesn't mean that you can't have satisfactory results quickly, so you shouldn't be discouraged.

Scott

Scott,

this is a great thread, sorry I missed it in the beginning. When we ask for more explanations / descriptions, we are just trying to improve the learning curve as much as possible.

Now, do you believe strops with lighter draw give more polished edges? I guess there is a reason why strops from Russian cows were most expensive... My Tony strop has good draw, I think, and when it loses it I actually put mink oil to get it going again. Maybe this is wrong...

I have also found that some razors take stropping differently, and also vary the pressure for different razors, trying to feel the edge but it's hard, especially when you're starting.

Cheers
Ivo

My guess is that apart from experience the strop material is important as well.
So it would be interesting to know from those who really mastered the stropping art (i.e. who manage to keep their razors shaving sharp for a long time using only a strop) what strop they use and what strop dressing they use.

Scott, I watched your video and it's a helpful guide, even if I'm nowhere near that level of dexterity!

You mention the "optimal" speed as being fast. Do you think this heats the metal and draws out the edge, in other words not just aligning it, but in effect sharpening it?

Originally Posted by dylandog

Scott, I watched your video and it's a helpful guide, even if I'm nowhere near that level of dexterity!

You mention the "optimal" speed as being fast. Do you think this heats the metal and draws out the edge, in other words not just aligning it, but in effect sharpening it?

There has been much mentioned about this possible effect of "heating" the metal through friction. And this is one of the possible benefits I am refering to that is achieved by fast stropping. Of course slow, deliberate stropping couldn't, at least to my mind, deliver the same friction and heating that fast stropping could.

Now, whether or not the "friction heating" is actually occuring (I don't see how it couldn't be - just plain physics) and more importantly, is it really improving the shaving edge? These are things I'm not sure how to test. It's just my empirical observation that I feel I get better results stropping the way I do.

It would be certainly cool if someone with better research methods could come up with a way to detect the difference between different methods of stropping and the actual effects on the micro edge. Just a thought.

Scott

In my opinion its not heat, but "stickiness". Just like pulling a rope faster to get more force you get more "stropping" force by pulling quicker against the leathers "catch".

Scott, I also notice your strop is pulled taut on a horizontal. Mine is hanging from a hook about shoulder height, so I pull it taut and strop on a 45˚. Any problem with that do you think?

Originally Posted by dylandog

Scott, I also notice your strop is pulled taut on a horizontal. Mine is hanging from a hook about shoulder height, so I pull it taut and strop on a 45˚. Any problem with that do you think?

I don't think so, as long as it's comfortable for you. I find it more comfortable for me to pull straight out, or, slightly upward.

Scott

Originally Posted by dylandog

Scott, I also notice your strop is pulled taut on a horizontal. Mine is hanging from a hook about shoulder height, so I pull it taut and strop on a 45˚. Any problem with that do you think?

I hang my strops from a hook at underside of chin height. Coppied from my father I have to confess again. Barbers I went to when young with my father had strops hung from thier chairs or next to the sink.
I feel no loss of motion from hanging a strop at chin level but get the added bonus of not splashing water on my strops while washing.

I will re-enter this thread I promise, time has been at a premium with a recent death in the family.

PuFF