Thread: I got my first strop today

When I was a kid we had a razor strop, I never knew you could shave with it until I was about 8. Anyhow I got my 3 inch strop from SRD today. It is a very nice strop I must say, I wouldn't know bad from good at this point but it looked to be of good quality.

I tried it out and all seemed to go well. I can almost tell from the sound if I am doing it right it seems. I tried a right side of my face shave with the razor after words and it seemed to shave nicely.

I put a few nicks at the end of the strop I noticed. Does this mean the strop is usless now? they are very small and at the end. I just wont strop there is all.

I just can not wait for some growth so I can get in a shave and find out if I stroped my 2 razors correctly.

Stropping was a much more precise and demanding skill than I had anticipated. I bet I have a ton to learn.

A good tip I learned here is to take a blunt butter knife and practice with that until you get your technique right. Slow and steady while you learn. If you are slicing the strop, you could be degrading the edge.

Just Go SLOW until your motor skills develop. The nicks are no big deal except to remind you to pay attention so you don't get a big 1 right in the middle. You'll get it. The more laps the better. I do at least 25 on linen and 75 on the leather. Everybody has their own way though :<0)

Hey, Path.

I'm somewhat known as a really slow learner on stropping. I destroyed 5. You already see why they say not to fall in love w/ your first strop. You always hurt the one you love...

Having a dull razor would be really handy for practice. Fortunately w/ the SRD, you're able to order a replacement leather fairly reasonably.

Being a slow learner, I had to do ALOT more than a hundred strokes/day before a nick became a rare thing. There are lots of threads on strop repair for minor nicks or cuts. One of the more encouraging ones was from the honorable Glen (gssixgunner) - showing a strop he still uses, going on something like 30 yrs. It showed the scars, but still delivered the goods.

You'll get it down - almost certainly faster than I did. Enjoy the shaves. That's what its about.

After you strop on the fabric side....can you strop on the rough side of the leather for 10 aaand then on the smooth side of the leather?

You will only need the smooth side of the leather after cloth. Some may use a paste on the inside of the cloth but for now, stick with the cloth and smooth side.

By the way, you can develop your technique on the cloth side too it is much cheaper to replace and like shaving, stropping is a muscle memory function.

The nicks can be sanded out quite easily, my first strop has had numerous nicks filed down. You're not the first, and won't be the last. I know it's disappointing, but at least the strop can still be used. Good luck.

Go slow and steady. Technique is important. Speed isn't. You are probably turning your razor before finishing your stroke. Keep the spine on the strop, lift the edge towards the end of the stroke. The edge should be in the air at the change of direction. As you begin the stroke in the opposite direction, lay the blade flat once already moving. As you near the end of the stroke, it's repeated, etc etc. There are loads of videos in the library here and on Youtube. Watch them all. As already stated, practice with a butter knife or similar. Good luck.

I am from the practice-with-a-butterknife school of thought; or practice, alternatively, with a plastic knife from Bojangles (very good); and either way before buying another strop, definitely practice the "non-wrist thumb and index finger flip while keeping a light touch and the spine of the razor in contact with the strop" move in slow motion a lot (with something other than a razor).