Thread: Ambidextrous Stropping ....... old dog, new trick

Originally Posted by WW243

I wonder if anyone has actually checked a strop for uneven wear....possibly on a vintage strop with many miles on it. I just do not see it happening. Strangely I do endo my hones while honing, even though they are straight edged flat. So, I really shouldn't be in this thread and I'll see if I can find a thread where you put your opposite foot into your pants when you put them on or a thread on reverse wiping.

I did wonder a out this myself to be honest.

Originally Posted by WW243

I wonder if anyone has actually checked a strop for uneven wear....possibly on a vintage strop with many miles on it. I just do not see it happening. Strangely I do endo my hones while honing, even though they are straight edged flat. So, I really shouldn't be in this thread and I'll see if I can find a thread where you put your opposite foot into your pants when you put them on or a thread on reverse wiping.

I was concerned that my hand tools were getting worn out from so much right handed use so I selected a screwdriver to be my left handed screwdriver....It still wore out! Since blades are typically wider than a strop and x strokes are made, What portion of the strop is seeing uneven wear other than the under utilized ends?

I believe the deep thinkers need to concentrate on a program to utilize the literally miles of untouched fine leather at the ends of the strops!

Have to give it a try, but on an older strop!

Originally Posted by Splashone

I was concerned that my hand tools were getting worn out from so much right handed use so I selected a screwdriver to be my left handed screwdriver....It still wore out! Since blades are typically wider than a strop and x strokes are made, What portion of the strop is seeing uneven wear other than the under utilized ends?

I believe the deep thinkers need to concentrate on a program to utilize the literally miles of untouched fine leather at the ends of the strops!

On the strop I use the most, and on others, it is the hand held end closest to my body, the right side, and on the top at the hanger on the left. Definite wear in those areas. That is probably why I use that strop 99% of the time. Not because it is better, but because I don't want to have wear on my other 15 strops.

First, i'd like to thank all the little people who have gotten me this far in the remote corner of the kingdom of shaving, hold on, I am the little people, so I take any suggestion, however absurd, as filled with possibilities. So riffing off your unused portion of the strops....I am suggesting the creation of strop bouts. When you have destroyed by slice or uneven wear the working part of your strop, just cut it out and make say a 2" long strop. Carry on with 500 strokes and you should be good to go.

Originally Posted by Splashone

I was concerned that my hand tools were getting worn out from so much right handed use so I selected a screwdriver to be my left handed screwdriver....It still wore out! Since blades are typically wider than a strop and x strokes are made, What portion of the strop is seeing uneven wear other than the under utilized ends?

I believe the deep thinkers need to concentrate on a program to utilize the literally miles of untouched fine leather at the ends of the strops!

I hear, for a lighter touch ( no matter what hand) you should rig the strop upside down and strop standing on your head. This assures less pressure do to the gravity factor. Your not pushing the razor into the strop that way but merely holding it against. I also hear this helps with even wear on the strop. Changing hands is only solving part of the problem :<0)

I'll pass because what you guys don't realize is you may do brain damage :<0P
Handedness and Brain Lateralization

After seeing the extreme degradation and distortion of my dad's fingers due to arthritis, and seeing the beginnings of the same in my hands, I decided that I'd better learn how to hone with my left hand.

It was difficult at first but not much different from when I first tried honing. It's just a matter of re-wiring the brain to develop muscle memory and it went faster the second time because of already knowing what I was doing. I played with two hand two hone two razor bevel setting for a while but it's only practical for the beginning phases when little finesse is required.

I guess I'll have to try left hand stropping; but I'll likely hold off on two hand two razor shaving.

Originally Posted by Utopian

After seeing the extreme degradation and distortion of my dad's fingers due to arthritis, and seeing the beginnings of the same in my hands, I decided that I'd better learn how to hone with my left hand.

It was difficult at first but not much different from when I first tried honing. It's just a matter of re-wiring the brain to develop muscle memory and it went faster the second time because of already knowing what I was doing. I played with two hand two hone two razor bevel setting for a while but it's only practical for the beginning phases when little finesse is required.

I guess I'll have to try left hand stropping; but I'll likely hold off on two hand two razor shaving.

Do you mean having one razor in each hand and using/ honing them both at the same time? Did you do them both on the same hone?

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Do you mean having one razor in each hand and using/ honing them both at the same time?

Yup!

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Did you do them both on the same hone?

No, two different hones.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Yup!



No, two different hones.

Double up on materials to save time?