Thread: Do you turn the strop ?

Good morning gents,

I have a question regarding my Tony Miller strop, a 3 inch hanging strop with D ring and a swivel at the other end. Its a very fine strop that I have been using for the last year, but last night I tried something different and turned the strop around, actually connecting the strop to the wall with the D ring. When I stropped the razor the draw I felt was twice a strong, and it really felt as if the leather was hugging the blade. Is this a good practise to continue or am I damaging the strop or razor edge.

I might add that the shave afterwards was great and very smooth. I am currently using a 7/8 Kropp with smashing results.

Regards
London

Did you mean you are using the same side of the strop just reversed the sides? In this case I do not think you are doing anything wrong. As far as the razor , if it shaves then its not damaged.

If you mean that you are using the rough side of the leather I don't think it will hurt. Some strop makers make a rough strop for folks that find it effective. At least one that I know of sells a strop with chrom ox on the rough side.

I can't see you doing any harm by that. There are only so many strops whose design will allow you to do that, so i can't see it being common practice. Odd that it has increased the draw.

The ultimate test is the shave test. If you got a good shave afterward, then everything's good to go. Often, when I've got a razor that has a coat of oil on it, I'll strop it a few times on the rough backside of my strop to clean the blade, then I'll strop in on the smooth side. Stropping on the rough side has never appeared to hurt anything.

Originally Posted by sffone

I'll strop it a few times on the rough backside of my strop to clean the blade, then I'll strop in on the smooth side. Stropping on the rough side has never appeared to hurt anything.

I'm not sure that's what he meant. I read it as he is hooking it by the handle end, & holding it by the hook end. The result being that he's still stropping on the same side, just starting the stroke in the other direction to which the strop was made.

Hi Gents,
Thats right, I am only stropping on the smooth side, just turning it around to strop from the other direction. When I did this I definitely felt more draw, dont know why, but the razor shaved very smoothly afterwards.

Originally Posted by Dave12345

Hi Gents,
Thats right, I am only stropping on the smooth side, just turning it around to strop from the other direction. When I did this I definitely felt more draw, dont know why, but the razor shaved very smoothly afterwards.

when you strop toward to you usually you do use more force then away this is natural . You don't notice this.
What happens when you switch in first couple of stropping you are right you will feel more draw feeling but after couple days it should come same level as before.
Lets explain a little easier.
Lets say strop has hairs long on the surface. when you strop that hairs bends toward to more force side.
This happens after using while. At first it will be toward to you.
now you reverse it and bended hair looks away from you. you strop toward yourself you will feel more draw now (because you are stropping against bended long hairs)and away stropping is opposite.
(This is just try to explain simply way ok)
hope this helps.