Thread: Stropping is King

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

I could count the times I have had to hone a razor on my fingers in the past 25 years.

Honing razors on your fingers, now that's what I call badass.

Originally Posted by dylandog

Honing razors on your fingers, now that's what I call badass.

OMG fancy the prof reader (wife) not seeing that

Quick edit: From Dovos website faq pages;
There is no generally valid rule for the whetting (stropping) of straight razors; in many cases, it is sufficient to draw the razor lightly over the ball of the thumb, especially when it has been left unused for several days between shaves.

So you were right, badass on fingers, correct on thumbs

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

There is no generally valid rule for the whetting (stropping) of straight razors; in many cases, it is sufficient to draw the razor lightly over the ball of the thumb, especially when it has been left unused for several days between shaves.

So you were right, badass on fingers, correct on thumbs

Is that the special technique you and Honedright are using, stropping on the ball of the thumb?

If you can strop it on your thumb and hone it on your fingers, maybe you can grind it in your armpit and forge it God knows where.

I'm pretty curious about stropping technique, and just when my curiosity got going this thread went quiet. I hope it's clear I was kidding in my last, and that I haven't offended the stropmeisters.

I'll confess I've regarded proper stropping as a simple matter of keeping the spine and edge in constant contact with the leather, and using no pressure and even strokes while keeping the strop taut. What are the other factors?

Originally Posted by dylandog

I'm pretty curious about stropping technique, and just when my curiosity got going this thread went quiet. I hope it's clear I was kidding in my last, and that I haven't offended the stropmeisters.

I'll confess I've regarded proper stropping as a simple matter of keeping the spine and edge in constant contact with the leather, and using no pressure and even strokes while keeping the strop taut. What are the other factors?

This is one point where I differ in my technique and disagree with some. While light pressure may be appropriate at times, moderate and heavier pressure are called for at other times.

It takes a bit of experience to know what and when.

Scott

Originally Posted by dylandog

I'll confess I've regarded proper stropping as a simple matter of keeping the spine and edge in constant contact with the leather, and using no pressure and even strokes while keeping the strop taut. What are the other factors?

I think you've pretty much covered them all in brief. There can be some consideration as to which leather is best to use and what the proper ratios of evenness, tautness and pressure can be and those will vary somewhat from shaver to shaver with individual razors and on various strops. That's what makes it art.

As for thumb stropping ... I don't think it can be recommended as a proper substitute at the least since it's impossible unless you're of Paul Bunyan's stature to cover the blade evenly and get an even stropping along the edge (and can you imagine how many laps you'd have to do to get your razor unevenly stropped this way?!), nor can it be recommended as appropriate for anyone less than very well initiated to try out since many of us have nicked our strops permanently and there's no arteries running through them. The best a brief thumb stropping could accomplish to my mind would be cleaning gunk caught up on the edge away and I still prefer to use a towel for that.

X

I have to agree that the subject of stropping has received scant attention on any of the razor forums during the past 3-4 years. We really do need a lot more information on that subject.

Just my two cents,

This is a very interesting thread - but while PuFF says he only uses a pasted strop every now and again, he does indicate that he uses different types of leathers for different purposes - which suggests that different leathers/finishes may do different things to the edge.

I've only been at this for about a month - I started off on a used Dovo strop (light leather, not sure which type) and then used the starter strop I aquired from Tony with my 3 inch strop and am now using my 3 inch red latigo strop.

In short, I've noticed a different effect on my razor with each strop (width is another factor that distinguishes these strops).

The Dovo has a much thinner, softer leather and did a good job on my razors.

The learner's strop (red latigo) doesn' seem to be finished as well as my 3 inch strop (not a criticism as it was free and I didn't expect it to be anything other than a very basic piece of leather). It has a harder finish and has more draw. What I noticed was that I had to use a little more pressure to move the razor along the strop and that my razors didn't feel as sharp as with the Dovo.

The 3 inch strop has a nicer finish than the learner's strop (duh!) and is much smoother and has a lighter draw - I've only been using it for a couple of days, but it seems to be doing a good job on my razors.

I guess what I'm saying is that, as with hones, different types/finishes/weights of leather may also have a role to play and there will be personal preferences and differing opinions. However, even my very limited experience suggests that material plays a role in strop performance - and that you may want to vary technique/pressure depending on strop material.

Now having said all this, I suspect that for most newbies (and I definitely include myself), its probably best to get a good strop (whether its from Tony, Keith, Illinois, Dovo, etc.) that more expereienced SRP members seem to like/feel is a quality strop and stick with it until you are comfortable with your technique and can maintain a razor through several shaves using nothing more than an unpasted strop (leather or leather/linen) before experimenting with different strop matierials - I've just happened to have used three different strops over the past month - I thought it was me, but Scott's post seemed to give weight to my experience with different types of strops having a different effect on my razors.

I would be interested in hearing from more experienced SRP members about their views/experience regarding both strop material (in particular differences between latigo (red/black), honey, and the various finishes offered by Handamerica) and technique.

While I suspect I'll have to go to the pasted padle more frequently than Scott, I do want to learn how to better use my strop and think that stropping is just as important to shave quality than is honing.

Just my very long $0.02.

Originally Posted by dylandog

Is that the special technique you and Honedright are using, stropping on the ball of the thumb?

Oh, no. No, no, no. I won't go there again! I've tried describing that thumb thing (read: "thumb test") and have angered the Moderator Gods to the point of having my posts removed.

I'm done with that nonsense!


Scott

I agree with everyone else this is one of the best threads I have read through with some really good information in it. I have a lot of things I want to try from this thread to improve my stropping.

On a side note did anyone else find it slightly amusing that the person advocating stropping as king is a guy with a handle of honedright and I thank him for passing along his knowledge.