Thread: stropping technique

Am thinking far to much pressor.JMO

Really hard to see as quick movements blur. Wrist looks like it stays pretty straight with the fingers flipping the blade. Preassure is impossible to tell as I cant tell how much pressure you use to pull strop taunt. That said the dip as stropping looks to be perfectly acceptable. If your not applying pressure and your razors staying sharp your all good.

Bo

That's not bad as long as you have the blade flat on the strop. Bill is right about too much pressure. Relax when you strop. I believe I have a couple stropping blogs on SRP. Check them out.

Try a test shave after you hone the razor. Then strop and test shave again. If there is an improvement after stropping. you must be doing something right. Good luck.......

I am using a little pressure, but I guess even that is to much. I found your blogs, which sounds really interesting and a great way to learn to strop.

I just thought of something: I think in flipping the razor correctly as I only have a small nick at the bottom, but the edge might not be in contact on the way back, how do I tell?

In regards to pressure: I hold the strop between my index and middle finger and dont pull very hard. I try to just pull the strop taught, not so tight that my arms start to cramp up. How do you guys gauge the right presure? I could try and make another video thats a little better.
I decided against trying to learn to hone just yet, I want to get the stropping and shaving down first, I find it easier to learn one thing at a time and learn it well

How is the shave?

Really it does not matter what it looks like, as long as the edge is improving. I would slow down a bit and use less pressure, enough to keep the razor flat on the strop.

I like how you closed the razor, too many folks ruin their edge while closing the blade and banging the edge on the scales.

From what I can see ......not enough taught on the strop if your pressure is light. The best way to tell how your doing is by using your razor. Does the stropping improve the shave ? If you can feel the difference your doing it right. If not lay it on a table and do the same motions. then see if you notice a difference.

That looks like an SRD strop, if it is there is enough room to hook your thumb between the handle and strop. If you strop with less pressure you will need less pressure pulling the strop taught. Relax.

For that reason I am a big fan of D-rings.

When stropping, the corner of the tang is in the middle of the thumb pad and you can control the flip and pressure with the thumb not the wrist, to keep the edge on the strop.

The flip is where people get into trouble, which is why I recommend slowing down a bit.
Boredom (inattention) and distraction (talking to someone) guarantee a nick.

The reason I mentioned pressure was strictley by the sound on the web fabric (which I never use)
If the blade is shaving well and holding an edge,than all is fine.
I really do not think strop tauntness means much,unless it is far to floppy.The pressure your applying is from your hand.
Also you might want to strop with an X pattern,for me that is very important no matter how wide the strop.

the cheek area is good but not great, but the neck is not so great, but that's most likely techniqe. I get a better shave if I use slicing and guillotine strokes, but going straight down is not always good.

I made a new video, which for some reason is lopsided hope it's better.

Stropping 2 - YouTube