Thread: Hand-Hold Preference?

I actually thought that he had too much slack rather than too much pressure...

I like to use a D-ring or similar to pull the strop taut.

Originally Posted by leadduck

Interesting video. As I watched it, I found myself thinking, "He's really applying too much pressure." I guess you can't really judge the pressure just from watching, but it just seems to me that it's very difficult to attain that kind of speed with that much slack in the strop without bearing down. Anyone else have that impression?

And what's with that outfit the guy is wearing? Is he in some sort of institution for the criminally insane?

It looks like that guy likes a bit of pressure when stropping. Some folks don't buy into the whole "just the weight of the razor, whispering along across the strop..." way of doing things.

Bu then again, he may simply be criminally insane!

Originally Posted by Seraphim

And what's with that outfit the guy is wearing? Is he in some sort of institution for the criminally insane?

It looks like that guy likes a bit of pressure when stropping. Some folks don't buy into the whole "just the weight of the razor, whispering along across the strop..." way of doing things.

Bu then again, he may simply be criminally insane!

He also looks like the kind of guy that would continue a ridiculous argument, just for fun

If I recall from the wiki, that is you, isn't it, Seraphim? Well, this is convenient. What are your theories on stropping? I too find better results when I add some pressure with my thumb, then just lighten up and let it be the razors weight in the last 5 strokes...

Also, what is that jacket you're wearing? I think it looks like one of the oooooold barber smocks from back in the day... but that's just me

Originally Posted by Seraphim

And what's with that outfit the guy is wearing? Is he in some sort of institution for the criminally insane?

It looks like that guy likes a bit of pressure when stropping. Some folks don't buy into the whole "just the weight of the razor, whispering along across the strop..." way of doing things.

Bu then again, he may simply be criminally insane!

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

If I recall from the wiki, that is you, isn't it, Seraphim? Well, this is convenient. What are your theories on stropping? I too find better results when I add some pressure with my thumb, then just lighten up and let it be the razors weight in the last 5 strokes...

Also, what is that jacket you're wearing? I think it looks like one of the oooooold barber smocks from back in the day... but that's just me

Well, that is my very own "stropping jacket" that they issue all of the "guests" here at the Whispering Pines Recuperation Center. Most of them come with really long sleeves that tie around in back. But I took my dremel and shortened the sleeves a bit....



Actually, it is the hotel guest kimono from the Hyatt Regency in Fukuoka Japan. I wore it for the sake of modesty.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

I wore it for the sake of modesty.

For that, I, and I'm sure many others, thank you

I have vintage 2 1/2 pro barber strops, SRD 3", HandAmerican, and Tony Miller. I use all of them on a rotating basis depending on which one calls to me just as with my razors. I like my strop to be slightly below my navel so at my height hooking onto a doorknob is ideal. I pull the strop tight. The idea of leaving more slack than the natural flex, whatever it is, of a tight strop seems to me to be potentially hazardous to the edge.

Stropping expert AFDavis11 posted this hand hold here and I have adopted that for my own. The main thing I focus on is not putting a slight twist in the strop when I pull. Here is another interesting thread on stropping that AFD posted. Alan has said that stropping may be more important than honing so it is worth focusing on developing the skill as well as possible.