Thread: Strop Advice !

Hi All,

I'm after some advice on strops. I've been using straight razors for about six months but not satisfied with my stropping. At first I thought may be I needed my razors re honed so I sent them off to be honed. Since they have returned I've had some great shaves but they seem to be less good as time as passed. I have now put this down to my stopping technique but wondering if maybe I should try a different strop. I imagine that my razors did need to be re honed after watching the videos etc online and now aware of the correct technique. I'm currently using a Davo Solingen strop which I acquired as new. It doesn't have a preparation strip on the back of it so just straight leather. Is it advised that I search for a strop with linen preparation aswell ? Also what is a good strop for a beginner ? What makes a strop a beginners strop compared to a strop that confident user would use ?

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance !

I don't think buying a new strop will solve your problem, as your dovo strop is a quality item. I think your best bet is to see if you can find someone local that is proficient with straight razors that can see how you strop and correct any mistakes you may be making.
You may be prematurely dulling your edge due to poor stropping technique.

In addition, you might want to try refreshing your blade occasionally on a chromium oxide pasted flat surface like leather or balsa once you feel the razor is pulling.

This was exactly me not too long ago:

1) SLOW DOWN. I realized when I slowed down and really paid attention that I was trying to be so "light" with my touch, that the edge wasn't even touching much of the time.

2) I cut down to 6 passes on the canvas strop, then 50 on the leather.

3) I think my first strop was bad - it had ripples in it. That COULD be the case, but chances are it's your technique.

Go slow, watch the edge. Let the weight of the blade keep the edge down, but make sure the edge is touching for the entire pass.

I did't become very proficient with the strop until I had more than a years experience. I was initially of the understanding that a hanging strop needs to be held quite taught.
Long story shortened, I was holding it too taught.
When I convinced myself to let up on the pulling pressure enough to allow for some sag in the strop, and lightened up on the blade to strop pressure, nice things started to happen.
For me it was figuring out how taught is taught and how much pressure is light pressure. Then too, there is the relationship between the two needing to be in balance.
Now when I strop I try to go gently enough with the "flip" that it hardly makes any noise.
No more high speed whack, whack, whack.
Maybe your strop is not what is holding you back. Maybe your technique just needs to be refined.
Personally I think most any strop is a good strop for a beginner.
After your stropping technique is satisfactory you will have a much better idea as to what you will want in a future strop.

That's some pretty good advice so far. Except for me I don't like nor use any kind of paste for my razors, though I own some. All you really need is a nice clean piece of leather and good technique once the blade has been honed to maintain a nice shaving edge for quite a while. Rubb it vigerously with the palm prior to stropping. Personally I do like my clean linen before I strop on leather. The Major's advice on slowing down and getting that stropping dilligence down pat is invaluable.

However, you may be suffering from a stiff beard to cut. Perhaps you need to pay more attention to your preperation prior to actually putting steel on skin. Maybe you could try a preshave oil, hot towel or even a pre lather, strop the razor, rinse the pre lather then lather for the shave. There are plenty of preshave oil recipes so you can make your own cheaply. I sometimes use a mixture of one part Jojoba oil, one part caster oil, one part almond oil (the sweet kind) and one part walnut oil. As a matter of fact I like it for dry skin too. Just a thought.

Regards

Chasmo

PRESSURE pressure pressure. They guys are all spot on. Hard to describe .Harder to hear on the internet video. Pulled tight as buckling your belt. Stropping strokes pressure like your caressing butterfly wings you dont want to break. Wait how hard do you press the razor into your face downward stroke? Yes about that much pressure.
Dovo strop good.
2) How much time has passed since honing?
3) How coarse is your beard? Nordic Caucasian European or Southern Mediterranean Trees.
Increase in coarseness direct effect in blade sharpness longevity between honing.

I think I was certainly prematurely dulling the razors edge with my previous stopping attempts. I was given some strop paste when I acquired the strop it is in a white tube with a yellow strip around it. I've treated the strop with it in the last few days hoping that may help. How often should I use this and what does it do to help ?
I also think it could be my pre shave routine as I have changed it a bit recently and my beard can be coarse when left to grow over a week or so. I tend to shave when I can do it in a relaxed and peaceful environment rather than rushing and shaving for the sake of it so sometimes it can be up to 7 days between shaves for me.
I just did a stopping session and it felt right to me so ill have a shave in a bit and see if it has changed. Clearly it is technique, the idea of finding someone local to me is a good one and I may chase this route. I can be a bit obsessive and worry that I'm going to ruin my razor all the time and or never get it right.. time will tell. Thanks for the advice all of you, ill starts getting more practice in !

Iamjoe,

Stropping is one of the most important elements of straight razor shaving. Proper stropping, I should add. Please watch this video by Lynn. I'm sure it will help you.

Straight Razor Stropping for Beginners - YouTube

Actually I'm not aware of a single big company making strops period. it's all a cottage industry. Probably the biggest is the outfit making strops for Dovo like the jemco brand and they don't make shell strops anyway.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Actually I'm not aware of a single big company making strops period. it's all a cottage industry. Probably the biggest is the outfit making strops for Dovo like the jemco brand and they don't make shell strops anyway.

Herold is the company that makes strops for Dovo, I believe they are the biggest manufacturer of quality strops.