Thread: Stropping is King

Originally Posted by honedright

Since my bringing this topic up, it seems that the above is a new concept for many. Not enough time has passed for most to put in the time and practice required to achieve the results that I've had. I think very soon though, you will start to hear from other SR users who are getting better shaves and going longer between honings now that they know it is possible.

It's a new concept because we've never noticed this before, and it's not like we're refreshing our blades every few weeks just for the fun of it (ok, maybe some of us). So why haven't we noticed our blades staying sharp month after month? Looking at your video and reading your descriptions I can't see where you're doing anything that I'm not already doing, which leads me to believe that there's something else responsible, something that you're not aware that's different about your technique or equipment.

Originally Posted by mparker762

It's a new concept because we've never noticed this before, and it's not like we're refreshing our blades every few weeks just for the fun of it (ok, maybe some of us). So why haven't we noticed our blades staying sharp month after month? Looking at your video and reading your descriptions I can't see where you're doing anything that I'm not already doing, which leads me to believe that there's something else responsible, something that you're not aware that's different about your technique or equipment.

I think what you said here (highlighted quote) is very important.

When Tiger Woods swings a golf club, can you really see any difference in his swing compared to any other good player? Maybe some can, but I'm just using this for comparison. (I'm not a golf fan, but my understanding is Tiger is a fantastic player. Can you "see" what he is doing that makes him great?)

I don't think what I'm doing when stropping is something anyone can necessarily see.

Scott

Originally Posted by honedright

I don't think what I'm doing when stropping is something anyone can necessarily see.

Right, but it doesn't seem to be anything you can describe either, or at least you haven't yet in this discussion described anything you're doing differently from anybody else - so something you're not aware of is keeping your blades sharp. Either something about your technique, or something about your strop. But *something*. We're just trying to figure out what that something is so we can keep our blades sharp for months too.

I lose absolutely zero sleep worrying about golfing as well as tiger woods. And if it turns out that your stropping ability is tiger woods-like, then I'm gonna lose zero sleep worrying about duplicating your mad stropping skillz, especially when it takes me less than a minute a week to keep mine sharp on the paddle.

Originally Posted by mparker762

Right, but it doesn't seem to be anything you can describe either, or at least you haven't yet in this discussion described anything you're doing differently from anybody else - so something you're not aware of is keeping your blades sharp. Either something about your technique, or something about your strop. But *something*. We're just trying to figure out what that something is so we can keep our blades sharp for months too.

I lose absolutely zero sleep worrying about golfing as well as tiger woods. And if it turns out that your stropping ability is tiger woods-like, then I'm gonna lose zero sleep worrying about duplicating your mad stropping skillz, especially when it takes me less than a minute a week to keep mine sharp on the paddle.

I certainly hope that what I'm doing is something that can be reproduced by everybody. That's the reason I started this topic. I knew I had something that appearantly few here had discovered and so I wanted to share and inspire.

I supose what I'm doing is best described as "knack." Could Tiger Woods describe how he places a golf ball where he wants on the course? Maybe he could. He'd probably talk about placing top-spin, or back-spin, or something like that on the ball. But could he teach someone to do it? I don't know.

It's like riding a bike, or steering the wheel of a car with your finger, or the top of your knee even. Could you imagine doing that when you first started driving??

All I can describe is a "feel" I've developed that tells me, based on experience, when I'm stropping correctly to get the results I've been getting. I have mentioned this "feel" concept before, even in other topics. But it's really hard to describe beyond that.

The best advice I have is practice, but with an awareness that maybe something more than what you've been doing in the past is achievable. (I know, I almost want to put my own finger down my throat after reading that..ha, ha, ha).

Now, as far as loosing sleep goes, let's face it...this is really only about shaving. I do it every day as a matter of course. I enjoy it, especially the way I do it with traditional tools and all, but it is still just shaving. Nothing to loose sleep over.

Scott

Originally Posted by honedright

All I can describe is a "feel" I've developed that tells me, based on experience, when I'm stropping correctly to get the results I've been getting. I have mentioned this "feel" concept before, even in other topics. But it's really hard to describe beyond that.

Maybe, but I sure would like to see if you get it with another strop, say a brand new clean one.

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

Maybe, but I sure would like to see if you get it with another strop, say a brand new clean one.

That wouldn't be a problem. BTW, without having seen my strop, you strongly imply that it's not clean.

I have a few IRS 361 strops for sale. I could take one down and use it as my daily strop. But how would that be any more convincing?

You seem very reluctant to entertain the idea that maybe I've developed a knack for stropping that goes beyond your experience and that of some others. Remember the 5 minute mile? Or was it 4 minutes? It was the magic number in running that at one time was believed no one could achieve. A barrier that couldn't be broken. But once it was accomplished (ok, 4 minute mile by Roger Bannister 1957. He actually did it in 3:58.8), it was subsequently then, and still is, done on a regular basis. As to my knack for stropping, I believe that if I could do it, anyone could.

I think the only thing that will convince you personally is for you to have the same experience. Of course this will require much more experimentation on your part. On the other hand, if you are happy with the results you have been getting so far, then why bother?

I started this topic, not to prove anything, but to encourage and inspire, especially the newbies.

Scott

I have on the odd occation stropped "slack" to reset the edge. This stropping with less tension seems to bring a tired edge back when followed by normal stropping.
Just a note of experiance that popped into my head while reading these posts

PuFF

Originally Posted by honedright

That wouldn't be a problem. BTW, without having seen my strop, you strongly imply that it's not clean.

I have a few IRS 361 strops for sale. I could take one down and use it as my daily strop. But how would that be any more convincing?

You seem very reluctant to entertain the idea that maybe I've developed a knack for stropping that goes beyond your experience and that of some others. Remember the 5 minute mile? Or was it 4 minutes? It was the magic number in running that at one time was believed no one could achieve. A barrier that couldn't be broken. But once it was accomplished (ok, 4 minute mile by Roger Bannister 1957. He actually did it in 3:58.8), it was subsequently then, and still is, done on a regular basis. As to my knack for stropping, I believe that if I could do it, anyone could.

I think the only thing that will convince you personally is for you to have the same experience. Of course this will require much more experimentation on your part. On the other hand, if you are happy with the results you have been getting so far, then why bother?

I started this topic, not to prove anything, but to encourage and inspire, especially the newbies.

Scott

I can sharpen my blades just by looking at them, with no stropping. It takes concentration and practice, but the time is well spent. ;-)

I aspire to be so good at stropping.

E

[quote=honedright;75065]

without having seen my strop, you strongly imply that it's not clean.

I'm not implying anything. I'm just trying to inject a little reality here. I admire your skill, but physically it's not enough. I wouldn't know what to do with your strop if I saw it. What I'm talking about can't be seen, at least not without a microscope and knowing what you're looking for.

I'll give you another example. If you had a taco and a lot of people who ate it came down with an ecoli infection, I would suspect there's something on it. I could inspect that taco for the rest of my life and never find anything.

I have a few IRS 361 strops for sale. I could take one down and use it as my daily strop. But how would that be any more convincing?

If you used it for a while and got the same results it would tell me that the strop may be slightly abrasive.

I'll tell you what. If you use some other quality strop, say a clean one you get from Tony Miller (he can vouch for it) and you get the same results, I'll bow down to you, and I'll buy it from you. Then, I'll try it myself. You don't have to prove anything. I'll take your word for it. It can be any type of strop hanging, tabletop or paddle, but you have to be able to maintain your shave ready razors with it, and without touching a hone or pasated strop or anything equivalent, for at least six months.

You seem very reluctant to entertain the idea that maybe I've developed a knack for stropping that goes beyond your experience and that of some others. Remember the 5 minute mile? Or was it 4 minutes?

We're not talking about something within human control. I'll make it simple. You have a piece of wood with a rough surface. You want to make it smooth with a piece of bond paper. You could maybe do it with thousands of reps (I'll let you use a whole ream of paper), but could you do it with 800 without putting some abrasive on the paper?

I think the only thing that will convince you personally is for you to have the same experience. Of course this will require much more experimentation on your part. On the other hand, if you are happy with the results you have been getting so far, then why bother?

I'm an avid experimenter, and I've been researching and experimenting with shaving related issues for about 40 years. This is a worthwhile experiment. But I could only do it with an independent specimen of a strop that works. That's why I made my offer above. I think it should be of interest to both of us.