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Thread: Strop in between each client?
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01-16-2014, 12:07 AM #1
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Thanked: 0Strop in between each client?
I am a barber and always use disposable blades but my husband bought me a beautiful Dovo straight razor with a wooden handle and my initials engraved. LOVE IT!! I stropped it and tried it on a client. It worked great but it didn't work so great on the second client. I don't really plan to use it on my clients but my question is, do you need to strop it each time you shave or did I just not get it sharp enough the first time?
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01-16-2014, 12:22 AM #2
It should be done between each shave. I usually stop 30-40 on canvas or felt then 80-100 on leather. Time consuming yes, but well worth it for the comfort level.
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Kerrie (01-16-2014)
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01-16-2014, 12:29 AM #3
Not 100% but it might be illegal to use a "normal" SR on clients.
Ed
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01-16-2014, 12:47 AM #4
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01-16-2014, 01:47 AM #5
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Thanked: 0Thank you so much! I only did about 20 on the linen and 60 on the leather. Like I said, I won't be using it on clients much but wanted to make sure I was at least doing it right.
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01-16-2014, 02:27 AM #6
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Thanked: 3215You may want to check and make sure it was honed, shave ready. They do not come shave ready from the factory sharpened, but not shave ready. Some vendors will hone them shave ready before sending them out. If not many here can hone it for you.
You will also have to learn to strop, it is not like on TV or movies. There is much written here and on other sites and video on stropping.
It only takes one errant swipe when stropping to wipe out the edge.
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02-21-2014, 10:36 PM #7
Old school... ;-)
Strop the razor fresh for each use. If needed go back to the strop or switch to a
second razor.
Back in the 50s my barber shop had four or five razors for each barber.
Laid out flat on a clean towel.
About half were hanging in jars of blue Barbicide he also had ultra-violet sterilizer.
Mostly they would strop on leather only. Canvas/ linen was used once in ten
once in five trips to the strop.
I was a kid so I have no idea what he did to hone his razors.
90% was timing... of the lather.
They would gather some warm lather from the magic machine
and apply it to the back of my neck and fuzzy sides.
While the lather was doing its magic the barber would select then
strop a razor.
They would then wipe a small bit of lather away and then shave
to get a nice trim edge. If the first touch was not "sharp" the
razor was set down, fresh lather applied and back to the strop or
back to select a second razor.
This is a long way of saying that "doing it right" includes lather, soak time,
stropping and a critical gentle touch and feel by the barber.
In other old posts I once tried to make a point that knowing what
dull is, is as important as knowing what sharp is.
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01-16-2014, 12:53 AM #8
I did a perfunctory search and it IS legal in Florida.
What did you do with the razor? Was it a full shave or a little edge work? Either way it's important to know where the razor came from. Was it honed by a straight razor professional? If it has a factory edge then it may not be sharp enough.
In any case, you should probably strop before every shave in my opinion.
Michael“there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to nonlethal quantities of the drug make them resistant.”---Fleming
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01-16-2014, 01:03 AM #9
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01-16-2014, 01:42 AM #10
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Thanked: 1184If it is legal in your area I would give the client the choice. You might be surprised how many would prefer an old straight to anything else. ( If it's sterilized properly). Seeing as how your new to all the maintenance I would do some reading. Maybe find somebody from in here to give you a crash course. It would definitely help you and your clients faces. We might have a few barbers in here that will chine in with advice.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience....well that comes from poor judgment.