Thread: Ruined Strop? New to wet shaving!

Well, first of all, I am new to wet shaving and new to the forum, so bare with me. I bought a Premier Strop Co. 3" Latigo Strop after my wife gave me a Dovo La Forme as a gift. Because the razor was not honed, and I could not find somebody to do it, I stored them for a while (around 10 months). Recently, I found someone to hone the razor, so I brought out the strop from a box my wife had put it in after moving to a new apartment. I realized, first, that the strop was pretty stiff, and second, that the strop had a crease or fold, which wont go away completely when pulling the strop while stropping because of the stiffness. Also, during my first attempts at stropping when I first got the razor and strop, I caused several nicks around the edges of the strop.

My concern is whether the stiffness and crease/fold affects stropping. The blade does not remain flat at all when running it up and down the leather, so I am not sure how even of a stropping it is getting. Also, how much do the nicks affect stropping? Do the nicks cause the strop to be too rough? And finally, there is a small ding in the middle of the strop.

At this point, is it recommended to get a new strop, or is this strop still functional? If so, what can I do to help the stropping go easier with the strop, skills aside (i.e., how to make it softer, etc.)?


Tried to get the best details as I could in these pictures to show the crease, the cuts and nicks, as well as sings in the strop.

For the nicks some high grit wet and dry paper should get them out easily. If the strop is stiff palm rub it heaps and if that doesn't help a little (few drops) of neats foot oil applied to you palm then rubbed in. Try doing the rubbing while the strop is slack to help with the fold. You could also use a beer bottle with the label removed and cleaned to rub the area just be sure to use a smooth section and not a seam. If all else fails use the couter top. Lay the strop in the counter face up with the edge hanging over. Holding at each end work it back and forth with one bit going back and forward on the counter and the other up and down on the side of the cupboard as it runs over a 90 degree angle. I had a strop sent folded in the mail and this was the only way I could get it out.hth

+ 1 on what Eddy said...stropping with the strop in that condition (esp. the fold line) won't be good for the razor and may be bad.

What's more important though is that you take a step back and ponder what you're doing to nick the strop like that. Starting from absolutely now experience and no instruction (or internet), I've put 1 or 2 little nicks in my first strop, but nothing like what you have done.

I suggest watching some videos from the SRP wiki and beginners section and then reading everything you can about stropping and razor care and use. If you'd add your location to your profile, you may get a local volunteer from among the forum members whom you can watch or take some tutoring/mentoring from.

Besides the resources mentioned by Harold (the SRP Library and tips for beginners links), you can also do a site search for the forum thread "Stroptober": a whole month of advice & videos on stropping. Good luck!

Welcome to SRP. What Eddy and the other gentlemen said is on the money. From the pix the nicks don't look worse than some I've put on a strop or two and they are still usable. Palm rubbing will indeed help. Stiff doesn't mean the strop isn't 'right.' They aren't soft like glove leather ordinarily, though some are more supple than others. Firm is not a negative.

This PDF file from the 1961 barber manual in the SRP Library (Wiki) is very helpful on learning correct stropping. The stropping tutorial is towards the end, after the honing. Note the instruction to practice flipping the razor before moving up and down the strop. Once you get the flip down it will be easier to strop correctly. I found that I habitually nicked my strops towards the side closest to my right hand just ahead of where I was holding it with my left.

I was holding the tang of the razor between thumb pad and the first digit of my forefinger. When I began, as instructed, to hold the tang between my thumb pad and the pad of my forefinger, with the fingers behind sort of gently supporting the scales, I stopped nicking and the flip became easier. I keep enough pressure on the spine to keep the razor on the strop. The edge glides over the surface with little or no pressure. Not sure if this is the "right" way, but it is my way and it has been working for years.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...t_-_Honing.pdf

As a patron saint of butchered strops - I had 5 that looked like that. I didn't know that I had to get the edge up off the strop before ending the stroke.

I think Glen's 3/11 beginners tips was probably the best thread for learning to strop, along w/ a post on another forum by the honorable Mrsell. Al's vids linked to that thread are vital for the all-important 'flip' at the end of the stroke. That's where all the carnage happens.

Stropping doesn't come easily to everyone. I was particularly lousy at it. It'll come. 'Glad you got some help w/ your edges. During my early months, my stropping very much dulled my edges also. If I can be of help, pls. let me know.

Thanks you all for the information, I will definitely look into all of these resources. I have actually seen plenty of videos, and tried to be as informed as possible, but I should have done it earler. Several things I did wrong: I started stropping my razor without first practicing the motion with my hand. I was doing several things wrong. In the beginning, for some reason I was flipping the blade downward, instead of flipping it upwards around the spine. This means I was putting the blade down first instead of the spine. This was only the first couple of times, mainly because the twisting motion felt for natural for me I guess. Then, when I started flipping on the spine, I would flip it before finishing the strop motion, so the blade was catching a little bit once I stopped. Now I have hte hang of it a little bit more, but I still find it pretty difficult. I guess I dont have enough practice, and not to mention that I dont have a good strop at this point. Hoepfully with all this advice, I should get it back in shape. Btw. I live in Austin.

Pinklather: yeah, Im pretty lousy at it, and I get frustrated sometimes. Feels like im gonna take forever to get it, and in the meantime, will have to shave with lousily stropped razors, which means once nicely irritated face. Lol. But thanks for your info!

I'd recommend a coarse diamond plate or pumice stone to smooth the nicks. Use light pressure. High grit wetndri is easier to embed into the leather.
A final wipe with some scotchbrite will catch any renegade particles then onto the glass bottle