Thread: What am I doing wrong to cause nicks in the strop?

I nicked up my first strop pretty bad as well. It always happened when I tried to go too fast. Slowing down helped a lot though it took a lot of patience. Once the muscle memory set in the speed comes and more naturally.

Originally Posted by Geezer

If you are like I was, you have no flipped the blade completely to the spine before setting the edge down and starting the return stroke.
Usually when I am inattentive it happens,
~Richard

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Hi Richard thats cool and rare that u offer services that r usually charged 4. Even though we live on both coasts id really like to learn anything you van show

I solved the problem of nicking my strop by turning my hanging strop into a hanging BENCH strop. I found some 3/16 or 1/8 particle board free at the lumberyard off cuts bin (they give it away). Cut it the width of my strop by about 2, 2-1/2 inches short of the strop length. Put it between the linen and the leather with Velcro straps top and bottom. No room in bathroom for a bench strop, lots of room for hanging. Nary a nick since!

Thanks guys. I am no longer nicking it as I have concentrated more on the motion.
It's best not to have a couple of beers before stropping as well I have found.

I also need to learn how to strop properly. Am afraid of nicking it, but need to practice a lot

Proudmarinedad it sounds like you have corrected your issue, but for anyone else, I had a problem when I first started as well, and ended up throwing away an Illinois strop. I was afraid to buy a high quality one for fear of ruining that too, until I found Classic Edge's stropping boards, basically bench strops as previously described. At 25 bucks a piece I bought 1 leather board and 1 felt board, and practiced that for a few months actually, before committing to another expensive hanging strop. I then bought an SRD English bridal leather strop and haven't had a single nick. I attribute it to both the reduced stress of a less expensive strop, and the stability of a flat, motionless stropping surface. Both eased my mind and gave the confidence to improve my stroke, rather than worrying about damaging the strop.

I'm not sure I like the beer part being left out.....but sure sounds like you made the changes to improve, it's just that one.......