Thread: Doing good but still nicking the strop

Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, Shoki:

Stropping calls for a series of smooth movements. Yes, as our good friend Ryan points out, the return starts while the blade is turning. Also, the pressure stays light throughout the stropping process. All you need is the razor's weight. Finally, full concentration on what you're doing. Shut everything out and focus on stropping. You'll get there.

Regards,

Obie

I agree with the full concentration. Every time I have nicked a strop it was when I momentarily looked away due to some distraction.
I also have found that if you go slow, concentrate turning the blade it only takes about 2-3 minutes to strop a blade.

The best practice is perfect practice. Many times, as we get familiar with motor memory, we repeat the same mistakes over and over.

A good excercise is to go reteach your left hand(assuming you are not southpaw) the basic mechanics of timing of when you are turning over the razor at the moment of direction change. While you are at it, your grip should also be adjusted properly. Several tutorials can be studied if you do a search.
When you go back to your dominant hand, reteach it to do the basics to it again keeping speed down.

DO NOT INCREASE SPEED UNTIL YOU HAVE ISOLATED THE PROBLEM. ALLOW YOUR BRAIN TO STAY AHEAD OF YOUR HAND UNTIL THE OFFENDING HABBIT IS ERASED FROM MUSCLE MEMORY. Speed and grace will return but do not rush it.

This works because you will find the bad habbit you have and be able to isolate it and get into the correct habbit.

I found this method by accident when I noticed the draw felt different between the up stroke and down stroke. My stropping improved dramatically. It will take a little while to learn your new stropping stroke and to weed out what has become too familiar, so be patient.