Thread: No stroping after a shave

This has probably been covered, but I just read on a site called ems.com that you should never under any circumstances strop after a shave. I have been stroping before and after shaving because that’s what I thought you’re supposed to do. Help!

That's a camping website....

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

That's a camping website....

LOL...........

Although I think I am in the minority here, I believe what is claimed on that site is true. The thought is based on the fact that metal has a "memory" and wants to go back to the position it was in before the bending all by it's own. In theory, there is less realignment to be done and less stress to be put on the metal after it had time to recover.

As a former saxophone repairman, I can say that metal memory is a fact, as leaks that are fixed by bending the keys reappear the next day.

One thing to consider is that stropping after the shave does have the advantage of cleaning and drying the edge before storage. For that reason I always clean and dry my razors with a tissue after the shave.

Kind regards ,

Peter.

I will always strop on cotton/linen post shave, and most often use a suede strop too. Rarely on my finish leather though. But that's just out of habit.
I want to clean my edge by stropping and removing any debris and water residue by cleaning and heating up my blade by stropping, that it helps with smoothing out my edge, helps.

Ì don't think metal memory from bending and forming and damage is the same as from forging and grinding/honing.

I also don't see what a strop could do steel other than do things on a microscopic level, which is exactly what I want post shave.

Same reason post honing stropping works, post shave stropping works; for me.

I see no harm in stropping post shave, au contraire. I will 100% always strop post shave.

Strop after honing, strop after shaving, strop before shaving, all yes.



People that say to do or not to do something, what's their reasoning and their experience and/or evidence of saying so?

I guess it wouldn't be hard for people with a microscope to examine an edge post-shave and then take a look again after a few days if things have changed? I would be intrigued to find out. I don't have the gear though.

Someplace on here are some OLD pics that were done by Popular Mechanics Magazine (Or Similar) about the effects of stropping in general

The only advantage I can see for doing 10ish laps on Linen, as recommended, is to Clean and Dry the edge at the microscopic level...

The YMMV axiom comes into play here, try it for a month and see what you find to work best for YOU !!!

There are quite a few sites that claim if you store a razor in a Pyramid it will stay sharp too,,, Soooooooo believe what you will LOL

Well the Egyptians were an advanced race so anything is possible

I strop after each shave(20 laps) to make sure the edge is dry. And then I strop pre shave for another 60 or so. If this was a problem I would have issues with edge retention. And the barbers who stropped all day long would have had issues. I think it's all bull. But dont let me be a pimple on the @$$ of progress if that's what you wanna do.

After i shave i clean and dry my razor with kitchen towel then 40 on linen and 40 on English bridal leather
before i shave 60 linen 100 Buffalo leather.

It may or may not help, I like to think it does. It only takes a couple of minutes and it has never hurt my razors, i don't think a person can over strop if they get into the zone, always assuming they CAN strop properly - we all know you just dont grap one end of a strop in one hand and a razor in the other and expect much more than a nicely cut up strop the first few times at least, my first strop was a real work of art

Likewise. I generally strop 40 to 80 on smooth leather before and 20 on suede side to dry the blade after. Last time I counted I get a bare minimum of 20-30 shaves before edges start to diminish depending on the blade and my habits. Take that for what it's worth.

Here's the fly in the ointment for that never stop theorum. Once the edge does diminish I can bring it back almost indefinitely with flax or hemp fiber stropping.

As Glen pointed out there is a lot of myth and hog water out there. Add to that that each strop is different and can be contaminated PLUS no two people strop alike. I have improved edges by stropping mid shave. I have also ruined edges by stropping with an errant stroke. The very nature of stropping is so subjective that I could prove either argument in an experiment just by doing It differently.