Thread: Quick stropping experiment

Josh - your point about developing bad habits with inferior gear is a good one.

I started with a used Dovo hanging strop (not sure which one, but one of the narrower ones) it was pre-dressed by the previous owner. The leather had a light draw and it seemed to do a good job, but I had to pull it quite tight to get the tension I wanted as the leather was quite thin.

I then bought a 3" red latigo strop from Tony and got a starter strop in red latigo.

I used the starter strop and didn't get as good a result as I was getting from the Dovo - the leather had a lot more draw and I was likely using too much force for this reason. In fact I had the same experience as you - I was actually dulling my razors rather than keeping them sharp.

I have just over the last couple of days started using the 3" strop - first off, the leather is conditioned differently than the starter strop and it has less and more even draw. Also, the hardware helps me maintain constant tension - which allows me to use less tension - which in turn has given me much better results.

I've also been paying more attention to my technique, which has helped alot.

The interesting thing is that I took some razors that I had dulled slightly and gave them 30 laps on each the linen and leather - doing the same thing you did - a little pressure and then lightening up. Using this technique my sense is that I've been able to bring the edges back without having to use the pasted strop. It may just be me - but I'm going to keep experimenting.

I do think that the threads that have been posted over the last couple of days have sparked an interesting debate and some good advice.

I'd like to hear more about different leathers and the pro's and con's of using linen, as I think it would be interesting to hear what some of the more experienced members have to say.

How light is light? Just the weight of the blade on the strop?

These stropping lessons are very good for someone brand new to all of this like me. Thanks everyone!

Oh thank God Josh! What your doing, besides good stropping, is building the draw out to improve the edge. If the edge is already hyper sharp there is little need for the initial pressure to build the draw.

Now, lets refer back to your honing lessons . . . does this release of pressure sound familiar?

Next question . . . and I think Honedright will enjoy this one. What is the practical limit of this draw ability to "sharpen" a dull razor? How dull can a razor be that it can still be "drawn" out.

Anybody remember that crazy video of the guy slapping the razor on the strop?

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Oh thank God Josh! What your doing, besides good stropping, is building the draw out to improve the edge. If the edge is already hyper sharp there is little need for the initial pressure to build the draw.

Now, lets refer back to your honing lessons . . . does this release of pressure sound familiar?

Next question . . . and I think Honedright will enjoy this one. What is the practical limit of this draw ability to "sharpen" a dull razor? How dull can a razor be that it can still be "drawn" out.

Anybody remember that crazy video of the guy slapping the razor on the strop?

Alan, I kind of touched upon that one in an earlier post when I mentioned that stropping could correct insufficient honing, it just requires more work.

I was first exposed to this idea by a barber who told me that while it would be easy to over-hone a razor blade, it was nearly impossible to over-strop. He said that if a razor were a little under-honed, you could bring it up to shave ready by stropping, but it would take a long time.

Just more food for thought.

Scott

Amazing stuff isn't it? Scott, do you use this technique at all to maintain your edges between honing? I've always just re-honed?

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Amazing stuff isn't it? Scott, do you use this technique at all to maintain your edges between honing? I've always just re-honed?

Well, like I've mentioned before, I go a long time between honings. Up to a year or more. I go so long without honing that when it's time for me to hone again, I have to re-train myself to hone.

It's kind of a pain!

Scott

And if we recall our observations from The Grand Experiment (also Two & Final) we believe that more stropping is better than less.

Though I wonder if my preference isn't for that freshly honed feeling. The first shave or two coming off the hone can be a bit challenging to be stropped well and perhaps longer stropping sessions with new honed razors is an anwer there, but when that shave works it's sooooooo comfortable.

After the experiment I only increased my stropping to 42-48 laps preceded by 12 or so on the linen because I wanted that fesh feeling to last, but I think I'll increase my stropping some more and see if that might actually help me accomplish my ends. My 361 got old quick what with nicks and such and I'm wondering if I can't reach further with a pristine edge as well.

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