Help! Beginner with stropping woes.

Hi, Yes, I have searched and read numerous threads on the subject.
I have been straight razor shaving now for about 6 weeks. Things have been progressing pretty good actually until this morning.

I have a DOVO SS blade that was pre-sharpened by a honemeister in Montreal.

I have now begun stropping my razor starting first with about 50 strokes on the linen and then 50 to 60 strokes on the leather side of the Illinois #127 strop that I use. Last night before bed I stropped my razor 50 strokes on the linen then 60 on the leather. This morning it felt like I was tearing my beard out one hair at a time and when I finally gave up I was still all bristly.

Nothing else other than my stropping has changed. Could I have over-stropped, damaged my blade? Should I send it take it to a honemeister to look at?

Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance
Chris in Red Deer, Alberta

Try stropping again, with some pressure, on a strop laid flat on a table. Then, strop, lightly, same way.

If that doesn't help, send it out to be rehoned and start practicing how to strop.

I've seen stropping so bad lately that I'm surprised that the razor, strop, shaver, or any of the nearby furniture is salvagable when done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shikano53

Hi, Yes, I have searched and read numerous threads on the subject.
I have been straight razor shaving now for about 6 weeks. Things have been progressing pretty good actually until this morning.

I have a DOVO SS blade that was pre-sharpened by a honemeister in Montreal.

I have now begun stropping my razor starting first with about 50 strokes on the linen and then 50 to 60 strokes on the leather side of the Illinois #127 strop that I use. Last night before bed I stropped my razor 50 strokes on the linen then 60 on the leather. This morning it felt like I was tearing my beard out one hair at a time and when I finally gave up I was still all bristly.

Nothing else other than my stropping has changed. Could I have over-stropped, damaged my blade? Should I send it take it to a honemeister to look at?

Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance
Chris in Red Deer, Alberta

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It could have been the tension on the strop was not taught enough, or too much pressure and the edge became rolled :thinking:

Try to place the strop on a flat surface, along the edge of a table or a board, keep tension from both ends (fasten one end, pull the other) and lay the razor flat on the strop to go through the stropping laps, keeping the razor spine and edge flat to the strop, and with no pressure try to clean it up with about 60-80 laps.
You may also want to get a decent barber's hone for about $40-$60 to touch up with 'only' 4 or 5 passes, then strop.

Thank you for the information. I actually thought that I have been very careful in stropping. I watched a number of videos and go slowly and carefully counting each stroke. I try to keep the spine and edge flat at all times and to be careful to have the proper tension on the strop.

But all good advice. Thank you. I will try your recommendations and see what happens.

Chris in Red Deer, AB

when i started out i would get a freshly honed razor and it would only seem sharp for a few weeks, i realized i was using to much pressure on the strop, one day after i got a new shave ready razor i realized when i was stropping it i had no pressure on it and that blade has lasted longer than any other razor that i had, i guess the point im trying to make is that you really need only the weight of the blade while stropping. just my .02

-dan-

Chris,

I have always found this excellent video by hi_bud_gl to be invaluable when I have my stropping 'hiatus's' :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mj5YliQQzg

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Stropping is one of those things that seems to be very simple but isn't. It's also one of those things you can read about and watch videos but it's only when you actually do it that you learn. It does take practice.