Thread: Noob Question about stropping

Originally Posted by Trevorxgage

Hi, My name is Trevor, and I have a kind of dumb question.
I have been using a shavette for a few months now and I just recently got a true straight razor.
My question is about the proper way to strop.
I have watched videos and stuff but everyone seems to do it different and all the way I try to do it my hand ends up cramping.

Thanks in advanced for the advice. =]

It took me about a week or two to really get the hang of stropping. I'm probably not 100% proficient at it yet, but in fact, stropping felt more natural to me than shaving. I feel my stropping technique is good, but my shaving technique could use work.

I would suggest learning to do it the right way from the beginning without rolling the wrist as demonstrated in the video above. I concentrated and worked at this everyday and finally got the hang of flipping the razor comfortably with my fingers.

Also, I moved my strop down to waist level and that seemed to make things easier for me as well.

The basic principles are the same, though the execution in the various videos may appear slightly different.
If your problem is cramp, try relaxing your grip on the razor slightly. If this is the source of the problem, doing this will probably allow better technique too, as you'll find you apply less pressure. Things will probably get better as muscle memory develops too.

Disclaimer. I take no responsibility if my advice leads to you slicing your strop in two!

The hand cramping is the key. It means your applying too much pressure. When I first started using a straight I used to tie one end of my strop to my Honda Civic and the other to my son's Honda Civic and when the wheels started slipping I knew the tension was right. Of course now I know I was overdoing it.

Just watch the wiki descriptions and practice.

I may suggest practicing stropping with a butterknife. And also concentrate your focus on the pivot on the spine of the Razor when completing the strop pass. That's how I do mine.

I tell you what, Sham has a great stropping technique and that video is good stuff. Do it like he does, stay relaxed and you will be golden once you get the feel for it.

Originally Posted by joke1176

I tell you what, Sham has a great stropping technique and that video is good stuff. Do it like he does, stay relaxed and you will be golden once you get the feel for it.

Was that Sham?
I think I've seen a video of a guy with like a 1000 hones, sounded just the same.

Cool.

Originally Posted by wdwrx

Was that Sham?
I think I've seen a video of a guy with like a 1000 hones, sounded just the same.

Cool.

hmmm, 1000 hones and sounds like Sham.... if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck..