Thread: Stropping problem - getting the razor to "sit down" evenly.

You shouldn't need or necessarily do anything other than rubbing the strop with the palm of your hand. The oils from your hand will work the strop in nicely, as will time.

Stopping is a fundamental to this hobby, and learning to do it properly is key. As has been suggested, this will also help work the strop in, take a butter knife and keep the spine of the knife always on the strop, flipping the knife at the end of each stroke / lap without lifting the spine from the strop.

Practice this frequently, speed kills, it's not a race, and remember to palm rub the strop until the surface of the strop get warm...I do this a couple of times a week at least, and when stropping your razor, focus on the blade, go slow, don't use a lot of pressure, and keep the spine on the strop...do this, and with time, you'll be proficient in one of the main fundamentals.

This is a time based experience task, there is no, what's the saying, "put nine women in a room and get a baby in a month", to this...takes time, patience and practice....enjoy it!


edited to add: I have a heavy Illinois 827 strop and the SRD 3" Roo strop, many feel the Roo strop is to thin, and have complaints about it. Many feel the 827 peels or sheds to much, or doesn't give enough feedback. These are common complaints that it's always the tool, never the user...your leather belt would suffice as a strop if needed. Some put lather on the strop, I don't and never have. The strop will work itself in, wrinkles, warps and such will go away with use, and as suggested, if any waves or wrinkles bother you, usually a bottle will go a long way to start removing them...