Thread: to strop or not?

I received a new razor yesterday, already shaved with it this morning.
It came ready to shave, and is smooth as ice.
Should I strop it before my next shave?

Yes. Before every shave.

Following an article from way back 100 years ago, that Martin103 posted, I've been only stropping after the shave, or after honing if it is before the shave. Never before unless I've just honed the razor ....... always after rinsing and drying the razor. Working very well for me for months now. YMMV.

I was wondering this too. I have heard both sides, some say strop before and some after. Some people have said both? Is it a matter of preference, as long as you keep the blade sharp?

In reply to this "to strop or not to strop" has anyone taken into consideration facts such as, humidity, general weather level and other environmental factors into when, how and how often to strop? Some people live in high humidity areas where stropping before and after ensures a dry (and sharp) razor. Some people live in low humidity and don't have rusting problems. I store my blades in the bathroom, a terrible place many say. I live alone and the bathroom door is never that much closed so I have a low humidity problem. I strop before a shave to ensure its clean and sharp. I carefully wash the blade off and lightly oil it before re racking it. As we are all different as people so are the ways to strop and store based on where we live. Enjoy the variances.

I used to religiously do 50 linen and 50 leather before each shave. I was a confirmed 'linen man'. As far as I was concerned there was no other way to go. My shaves were good, my razors well prepped for the shave. I started the leather only and only after the shave following reading the aforementioned article. Same results as when I stropped 50/50 before the shave and 20 on leather afterwards.

Say that to say, mess around with it, strop before ...... strop after ....... whatever works, linen & leather ......... leather only. All that is important is that you end up with a nice smooth shave. Some guys like to strop, if you do than go for it.

If you strop before the shave on Monday, that's the same as stropping after the shave on Sunday. When you strop on Wednesday, are you stropping after Tuesday or before Thursday.

Strop between shaves . . . how's that?

I strop about 30 passes, before each shave, on my Heirloom horsehide. Sometimes I'll mix it up and start with some passes on the latigo side, but not often.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Strop between shaves . . . how's that?

You beat me to it.

I did not know the nature of the question was a matter of *when* to strop. I thought it was a question of *if* to strop.

If anyone is interested, I subscribe to the immediately before and immediately after each shave. I believe this helps reduce the likelihood of putting away a blade with moisture on the edge, and offers me the highest degree of freshness in a cleaned and burnished edge during my shave (theory being that the longer an edge is exposed to humidity in a shave den, the more opportunity micro-corrosion has to nucleate on the edge...thus, strop immediately prior to addressing the face with the blade).

Insert mileage disclaimer here.

Originally Posted by unit

I did not know the nature of the question was a matter of *when* to strop. I thought it was a question of *if* to strop.

Good point ! Yes, definitely, strop for sure.