Thread: Strop Advice !

I used to put so much pressure on my strop that I was almost leaning back with the strop holding me up ! Hahaha I tend to listen to the word taught and the videos but really it will come naturally how much pressure to use. Everything comes with time.

I added a SRD modular paddle to my gear and use it most of the time now. I find it is easier for me to get good results with the paddle than with my hanging strop. I haven't given up on the hanging strop but I have just realized that there will be more of a learning curve with it. Using the paddle helps give me a frame of reference and comfortable shaves in the process.

I also got an extra scrub leather pad and the CroX crayon so I can refresh my razors with the paddle set up. It comes with felt and diamond spray as well.

What does the edge look like with magnification…now?

Doubling down with paste, may have ruined the edge and may now need honing.
Especially, if you do not know what the paste is.

So first, establish the condition of the edge, and have it honed if needed, I would bet it does.

Then buy a good strop. You can buy a decent strop, under 50 dollars. And learn to strop, find a mentor.

Do not use paste until you have mastered stropping.

Oh… and find a mentor.

I think mastering stropping with a hanging strop is not so easy. I've learned that you need to vary pressure and tension depending on what you're trying to do - stropping between shaves is different than stropping a freshly honed razor for example. I usually start out with a pretty slack strop and light strokes - most of the pressure is always on the spine of the razor with the edge just touching and trailing along with deliberate, steady and careful strokes. I also vary the pressure along the length of the razor - I will work on the tip, the middle and the heel until all are perfect. Stropping on a slack strop is faster at polishing the edge but you may get a bit more sharpness finishing with a bit more tension and lighter strokes. You really need to experiment and spend a long time stropping to master it. And, of course, every razor and steel is different - I recently stropped a freshly-honed Mastro Livi Inox made with RWL 34 stainless steel - it took forever to get the edge where I wanted it.

-john

If you used the dovo yellow paste it is a leather conditioner and not abrasive. Try using the strop laying on a flat surface then you only need to worry about pressure and technique

Besides just using the weight of my razor, I got better when I slowed way down. A lot of the videos show them moving pretty fast, but I realized I need to get the right muscle memory before speeding up. I've gotten faster over time, but still no where near the guys in some of the videos.

Here are a few good examples to emulate.

I've also learned that I like the roo strop from SRD. Very soft, very supple, easy to keep the blade down with almost no pressure.