Thread: To Strop or not to Strop..that is the question

Perhaps the Thread Title is misleading. I know it has to be done, I just wondered if it was a daily task.

I'm just going to do it every morning.

Thanks for the feedback!

Originally Posted by Augustagj

Perhaps the Thread Title is misleading. I know it has to be done, I just wondered if it was a daily task.

I'm just going to do it every morning.

Thanks for the feedback!

let me just say this, stropping too much is an option, not stopping after or before each shave is not. the edge will deteriorate fast

Here is the reason.

Each shave causes small deformations in the edge. Looking down the length of the edge, the perfect "V" shape has tiny regions that fold over into many small "J" deflections toward both sides of the blade. With each shave those deflections get worse and over time will break off causing microchips.

Stropping bends those deflections back toward alignment with the edge and stropping before each shave minimizes the cumulative deterioration of the edge.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Here is the reason.

Each shave causes small deformations in the edge. Looking down the length of the edge, the perfect "V" shape has tiny regions that fold over into many small "J" deflections toward both sides of the blade. With each shave those deflections get worse and over time will break off causing microchips.

Stropping bends those deflections back toward alignment with the edge and stropping before each shave minimizes the cumulative deterioration of the edge.

Does the deformation show as a bright spot/area on the edge, under light? I see it on one of my blades that is curved, on the toe and heel area, and I'm not sure if it is because my stopping is not covering those areas well and they're getting worse, or my honing technique is lacking.

Yes, any part of the edge that can reflect light when looking down on the edge is not sharp. It has either been deformed or incompletely honed.

If you are new to honing smiling blades that is a common problem the you can fix with more practice of the rolling x stroke. Make sure you are pushing water across the hone at the very beginning and ends if your strokes.

I strop before and after.

Before: about 50 - 75 laps each on linen and leather (depending on the razor) to prep the edge for shaving.
After: about 25 -35 laps each on linen and leather to clean and dry the edge fully after shaving.

Given my OCD about keeping of my razors bone dry and oiled between uses, I think I'd lose sleep at night if I missed the after-strop.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Yes, any part of the edge that can reflect light when looking down on the edge is not sharp. It has either been deformed or incompletely honed.

If you are new to honing smiling blades that is a common problem the you can fix with more practice of the rolling x stroke. Make sure you are pushing water across the hone at the very beginning and ends if your strokes.

Sorry, meant to say I wasn't sure if I wasn't covering the area in my stropping, or if there was a problem in my stropping technique (not honing, as I haven't tried honing this blade yet).

Would I need to use the rolling x stroke for stropping this type of blade? I'll have to research into that technique, as this blade is getting harder to shave with.

Originally Posted by pcm

Sorry, meant to say I wasn't sure if I wasn't covering the area in my stropping, or if there was a problem in my stropping technique (not honing, as I haven't tried honing this blade yet).

Would I need to use the rolling x stroke for stropping this type of blade? I'll have to research into that technique, as this blade is getting harder to shave with.

Try the marker test for your stropping. GENTLY mark your edge, and then strop and examine the edge to see if the entire edge has been stropped.

Is any part of the blade shaving well? It might just be time for a honing.

Augustagj,

A good rule of thumb is to strop when the shave isn't as comfortable as you'd like, be that every shave or after several shaves. I like to strop before every shave but sometimes go three or four shaves without stropping. The edge does recover a bit between shaves, and often I'll just straighten the edge by rubbing the ball of my thumb over it or give a couple of passes across my palm (which is actually stropping, I suppose). A caveat: don't do either of those things unless you are very experienced with a straight razor. The point in all this is that not stropping every day will not necessarily damage your razor.

Best Regards,
Jeff

Shaving slowly degrades a shave ready edge whether it is on a SR or a DE blade. Unpasted linen/leather stropping between shaves prolongs the edge. For how many shaves depends on shaving skill, stropping skill, and razor quality.

When the Unpasted strop starts losing effectiveness, it is time to refresh the edge using a pasted strop or finishing hone.

When refreshing starts to lose effectiveness, it is time for a rehoning.

FWIW, I do 40 linen and 60 leather after each shave. This works well on my Friodurs.

i refresh on a 4 sided TM paddle strop pasted with 3, 1, and 0.5 diamond paste.

HTH