Thread: Stropping technique fast or slow? use the fabric side or no?

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

It took me harder to learn this than any other aspect of straight shaving.

Yep. Stropping is Komplicated

It's fun too!

Try lifting the spine a tiny bit when stropping - you might be pleasantly surprised at the results!

Originally Posted by JeffR

Try lifting the spine a tiny bit when stropping - you might be pleasantly surprised at the results!

Are you suggesting that as a solution to people who have trouble stropping without damage ?

Originally Posted by JeffR

Try lifting the spine a tiny bit when stropping - you might be pleasantly surprised at the results!

To get the exact same effect without the same risk off Rolling the Edge, you might try giving a touch of slack in the strop... This is an effective technique for advanced users when stropping heavier wedge style blades but I honestly don't think it belongs here in this thread...

onimaru55: Not a solution to stropping without damage; just a way to actually be sure that the edge is in contact with the strop and therefore effectively smoothing and returning the edge to shave-readiness. Excessive pressure could cause problems regardless of how flat the blade is kept.

gssixgun: Good point; a touch of slack is also an effective way to do the same thing.

My apologies if my posts aren't pertinent to the subject of this thread, gents. Just wanted to be helpful. Please remove them if you wish.

Thanks,
Jeff

Don't think any posts need removing. Was just trying to understand if you were suggesting a little torque or physically lifting the spine from leather. The latter would take more skill & of itself could increase pressure with inexperienced hands..

Ive never cut my strop before.... from what has been put out on a lot of threads it happens fairly often.... I can sort of see how I guess but I dont flip early i guess

Confucious say: Make sure you can strop flat before you try to get all complicated and stuff. If stropper does not do this he must rename his strop "Nick".

The physicists among us know that friction and heat are definitely related to speed and will make a stropping stroke MORE effective.

Faster is better as long as the touch is light and controlled throughout a perfectly even stroke.

In other words, not too fast and definitely not too slow. That would be the Goldilocks stroke.