Thread: A true noobie strop question

I have purchased every strop with zero expectations of nicking/cutting it. It just didnt work out that way.

Having more expensive tools does not make you better. It is like the weekend hackers on the golf course using a set of titelist clubs and hitting pro v1s into the woods.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

I know it doesn't, but caution doesn't help at all.

Money doesn't get you stropping skills, but the wiki does, and if you do your research and head at a cheap strop with the expectation ti nick it, you will probably nick it... If you do your research and approach a nice strop as "this cost me a lot, I'll be careful" then you're less likely to nick....

What is the saying? If you expect you'll fail [nick], then you will fail [nick].

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I have purchased every strop with zero expectations of nicking/cutting it. It just didnt work out that way.

Having more expensive tools does not make you better. It is like the weekend hackers on the golf course using a set of titelist clubs and hitting pro v1s into the woods.

Ben, I'm not saying that it makes you better to have a better strop.. I'm saying the CAUTION makes you better. Or at least makes you less likely to fail.

Also, I'm not saying that if you don't expect to nick it you won't... I'm saying that if you DO expect to nick it, you WILL.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

caution doesn't help [edit: he meant "hurt", not "help"] at all.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

I'm saying the CAUTION makes you better.

I don't get it

Do you mean plan for the best and expect the worst?

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I don't get it

Do you mean plan for the best and expect the worst?

Oh, Thanks, Lee, that was a typo... I meant that caution doesn't HURT at all... I just fixed it.

I meant that if you expect the worst, it's more likely to happen. I wasn't saying that an expensive strop fixed the problem, but that an expensive mentality made you more cautious, and that the caution could be what offsets the beginning-nicks...

All my statements are made on my own experience... I started on a nice strop (TM Latigo and Linen, brand new) and took it slow, did all my research, and stayed cautious as I was terrified to nick my new, expensive strop.. As a result, I barely nicked it at all in the last year... And it was my first.

YMMV, just trying to help by sharing how things worked for me.

Jeremy

I would most definitely watch Hi-Bud-gl's (Sham's) video on stropping.

Also a practice strop is most often a great idea.

Practise strop + practise razor = learn by trial and error.

Good strop + good razor = Happy

Yes, the Wiki provides the best info on the web or anywhere but...remember just because you know theory doesn't mean you know practise...in other words just because you've read tons of medicine books doesn't make you a surgeon. Trial and error my friend...

I have heard it said that normal house hold dust that settles on a strop can be disasterous for a razor. That may or may not be true, but the dust and soot and crap in the air here in Bangkok is unbelieveable. So I make it a habbit to rub each strop I use a few times before every stroke. If I'm in a hurry, just a quick rub with the palm. If I'm trying to take up some time, for a few minutes.

Weather or not this is necessary or even helps will be debatable. But I'm sure everyone will agree it can't do any harm.