Printable View
I mean, how is it possible to nick a strop? There's lots of advice here saying 'Buy a cheap strop first 'cos you're bound to nick it' but you're always moving the razor with the blade pointing away from the direction of travel, so you've got to be doing something seriously wrong to nick it. You've got to be really careless or stupid or ... ah! That's how you nick a strop. Damn. What an idiot! Glad I bought a cheap one.
No worries! We've all been there. So we' re all idots. Welcome to the Club ;)
Cheers
BlueDun
Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk
Them nicks usually happen due to lack of smooth flowing movements...Or due to smooth flowing movements in the wrong direction :) The edge should be lifting off the strop and over the spine before the finish of the stroke, and should only touch down on the other side when the stroke has completely reversed.
Mick
I guess I'm an idiot like 4 times over!
It happens, more so if the handle is a little loose, it shifts in your hand and ooops.
I find some tangs are like made for easy flipping when stropping, some are not so!
We've all been there. Don't worry about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by anthogia
Mick
I definitely hated myself the few times I have nicked my strop. No serious mistakes like going in the wrong direction, but just the slightest twitch of the hand when the razor is changing direction is usually what does it. I think it helps me to start moving the blade before the edge is fully resting on the strop, and to lift the edge from the strop before taking the razor off the strop when I'm done.
I think you have the right idea there..I'm sure like the rest of the beginners to this art, we've all done a whole lot of reading and watching videos etc and it seems the best way to strop is to begin moving before the blade touches down and lifting the edge before making the rotation. I bet it is a lot more challenging in the beginning to do it that way but I will certainly try that lime yourself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Man
Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
Quote:
Originally Posted by Man
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywood67
Um...Yes...Helllooooo! I think I might have pointed that out already! ;)
Mick
Indeed, and with more eloquence than myself, I might add.Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
:chapeau
So you did! haha, I must have missed it when I was reading it, or maybe thought I had just the best idea ever!:rofl2:. It was late when I responded too so my mind was probably not in all the right spots.Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
Doesn't matter how you learn, so long as you do I reckon.
Mick
I also nicked my strop yesterday. Instead of rolling the spine of the razor on the strop I pulled away the razor and turned it the other way and when I placed it again on the strop I was careless and the result was a nick that thank God doesn't affect stropping. When I realized what I had done I was in shock :p
Well, see, your method of learning obviously involves spending as much money as possible and hurting your wallet. Others like to learn by hurting themselves, and some others again work several systems of learning all at once. They're what we call 'Gluttons for punishment' :).
Mick
Hmmm. 5 strops destroyed. I'd say my credentials are well established.
New here.
If you nick your strop is it trashed?
I thought the same thing too. About 15 shaves in (still a rookie), edge, meet strop! Then again the very next time!! So I said time out... Went back to square one, and haven't done it since!
Bryski, I'm still relatively new as well. But the nicks I have in my strop aren't too bad and they are both at the furthest opposite ends. I still use mine, as they weren't horrible nicks. But I'd imagine if you get a real nice nick in the center of the strop, you may encounter some problems. Its all on a case by case basis, but to answer your question, no I still use my nicked strop regularly (granted my nicks are about 3/4" away from the very ends of my strop).
If it is a slice with a flap use rubber cement to glue it. Clamp it if you can. If it leaves a bump sand the bump down after it is set up well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryski
yep , first time i stropped led to the smooth flowing movement in the wrong direction ..lol.. yep sandpapered it smooth again and that is now my C.O. sprayed strop ..lol...Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
I uswd to think the same way about a number of things, until they happened to me.
haha, nothing like hanging a brand new honed blade on your brand new strop! Im actually very good at stropping and got caught up on my french tip blade. So dont feel bad my man!
It's very easy to do when you're new at it, especially if you're going too fast. The razor gets flipped over before the change in direction happens. Nobody's perfect the first time at something, this could even happen to an experienced stropper who is in a hurry or distracted, either way it's a quick way to ruin your day, (and your strop)!
My stropnis pretty nickednup from when I started, haven't put another nick on it for a long tine
just to let you know, no fresh nicks for a few days! the ones i have have not affected the stropping but i might try to tidy them up at some point with either a dab of glue or just trim them. thanks for all your comments. i clearly managed to hit a few nerves with this thread:D
I actually nicked my strop quite a while after I'd started straight razor shaving, rather than as a beginner. I'd got TOO sure of myself and lazy I guess...
I refuse to nick my strop for the same reasons as Carl used to nick his. I'm so sure of myself that I am lazy, that I absolutely refuse to have to make myself another strop! :)
Mick
I just switched to a modular paddle strop from a hanging strop made my life a lot easier...