Thread: palm stropping for kamisori

guys, should i tell it to you....

i dared to strop my Kanetake kamisori on my palm, yes on my hand, and i really felt like if it was just meant to be done that way.....like it often happen with japanese razors.

it sounds weird, and it's even more when you see it, but for this short blade it is really the best way i found to strop. Look for Mastro Livi (Mastri Livi on youtube i think) videos on youtube and you can see him doing it.

i can quite easily strop it on my Dovo strop, it's large enough, but so soft i keep it for top-notch-final-top-over stropping, almost as if i was bedding my baby. For more "casual" stropping, i only have this narrow travel strop and it was too hard to keep the Omote side flat at all time.
So instead i tryed it on my palm, and woosh !!!! that's the texture and stability i wanted. I was just out of the shower and my skin was "damp", "moisturised" (help me on that word, i am a French speaker), anyway it add the texture. dry skin will make it too, but it has less volume. And i had this double feedback as i dragged the blade, with the hand holding the razor, but more important the hand that was the strop, i could feel everything under that blade !!!!!!

if u feel kamikaze enough, try it
*be careful*
but you will probably like it, even though if it doesn't become your favorite stropping technique

with honor for the Maestro



YouTube - MastriLivi's Channel

I also hand strop from time to time. I think it works very well Glad to know someone else does it too.

After reading kevint's thread, I tried it and works. Good feedback and draw. Haven't tried with a western though.

I reckon that's why they say if your strop is losing its suppleness, one could remedy by stroking it and the natural oils from hand would recondition sort of speak. Further, it adds desirable draw due to friction created between hand and leather. The use of Neatsfoot oil or Fromm works just as well. Good thread mate!

I've thought about hand stropping, but somehow feel that pulling my pretty razor against STEEL might dull it!

Red

well i tryed on a dull razor once
and looking at the state of my first strop im kinda glad it was

Red:

lol
what, do you have a hand of steel ?

if yes you may considere foot stropping then

Nothing strange or out of the ordinary about it all. Palm stropping is a well recognized proceedure. Those who do it should compare the relative softness of their skin with the result.

cool. I have had some luck with it; but ain't it funny how so many must have 50/50 or some large count on the cloth and hide. Some nights I give a high count as well, but that usually means my edge is falling down.

Only when i truly nail my sharpening, sometimes i miss, will a minimal strop work which also means it was pretty good right off the stone.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Nothing strange or out of the ordinary about it all. Palm stropping is a well recognized proceedure. Those who do it should compare the relative softness of their skin with the result.

yes, i understood it is a well accepted but less know technique for stropping and getting the burr off.

But i wanted to point out on how much the Kanetake felt at it's place in my hand, rather than on a leather.
It is a small blade, and thick compared to western straight. The balance, the control, the feedback, the texture of my skin, everything was there for a perfect strop session.

I alredy did it with a longer straight before, but didn't feel at ease like it was with a kamisori.