Thread: stropping method

I have been reading about stropping on this site and all of the advice says to hold the strop tight and don't let it dip. Please look at htis video and tell me why this guy is stropping so hard and letting the strop dip reallly bad. He is obviously a professional but his stropping method goes against everything I read here. thanks!

That video has been discussed a few times before
Yes, it shows a different technique than what is most often recommended here, but I'm ever so sure that his razors are quite up to snuff regardless.

Now, keep in mind that this fellow is a seasoned shaver, and has spent years developing his technique.

I keep my strops rather taut, and that seems to work for me.

For someone just starting out, I'd say go with the recommendations from the wiki and the videos of AFDavis11 and hi_bud_gl.
Check out the stropping section of the wiki here You can see AFDavis11's video in that article as well.

I agree with B in the sense that you have to do what works best for you.

I keep the strop a bit looser than what I've seen on videos and what I've read. I've not rolled and edge or dulled it. I've played around with tight, taught, super loose, etc.....and this is what has given me the best edges and most consistent feel.

Start with what you see on the videos by AFDavis and hi_bud_gl. Then go from there.

Hope this helps a bit.

Lots of good advice from you all. :-)

I too just hold hold the end of the strop in a relaxed manner and let it sag in the middle. My dad used to do it that way, and it has always worked well for me. The way I think about it is this: It doesn't matter if the strop is taught or loose, what is important is that the edge of the razor drags along the surface with very little side-load. In other words, the edge is being gently pressed straight along with being lightly polished without being bent to the side.

Strop technique conversations are primarily read by newbies. For them, I think the "hold tight and strop light" advice is good advice. For undoubtedly, if the strop is bowed and you strop with pressure, I think most will agree it quite possible to dull the blade. So, why not give general advice that is most likely to keep newbies out of trouble?

As an aside, the closer the blade is to a wedge, the more slack I allow in my strop.

Where is the video?

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Where is the video?

Right there in the first post. You can't see it?

no, must be an iPad issue. I'll reply after I jump on a pc.

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

Strop technique conversations are primarily read by newbies. For them, I think the "hold tight and strop light" advice is good advice. For undoubtedly, if the strop is bowed and you strop with pressure, I think most will agree it quite possible to dull the blade. So, why not give general advice that is most likely to keep newbies out of trouble?

As an aside, the closer the blade is to a wedge, the more slack I allow in my strop.

+1 on the above.
i.e. the "hold tight and strop light" advice is good advice.

Not too long ago a translation of "Honing Razors and Nihonkamisori"
was posted. In it the original author made a point on stropping.
The point was that a strop could bend on the spine but
not on the edge (see Fig 1 and Fig 2 where he exaggerates this).
I would bet that this old barber let the razor edge touch the strop lightly
flowing behind the spine. It is almost possible to see this in
action on the video. When I get a great edge
from the strop that is what goes on for me.

By keeping the strop tight and the razor light on the
strop it is easy to minimize the pressure on the edge
and maximize the feeling of dragging or pulling the edge
across the strop in contrast to pressing the edge into
the leather.

As the razor is held between the thumb and forefinger the
thumb need only push the spine down the strop and
the edge will drag lightly on the surface as it should.

The translation is a good read...

Yea, I see the video, and know it well. So, as you can imagine stropping is a pretty simple concept and I think it has some variables that all lead to success. I think this method of stropping on the video, is probably the hardest to master. But, even at my experience level I'm not sure I would like to have to replicate this all the time. But, as long as it's light it should work.

I think we advocate light and taut, but I find that there are lots of other options that work really well. Taut and with pressure is my favorite. That being the pressure that is added that "produces the feeling of draw".

One of the interesting things about a lot of stropping strategies, is that many of them dull the blade a little. But, they also smooth out the sensation of the razor against the skin.

Ultimately, I think that a little deflection against the edge is the key, either with a little pressure or a little deflection.

I also think that the general trouble people have with stropping is failing to use EQUAL pressure on both sides.

Great thread though. I wish we could explore different stropping strategies without everybody going nuts about it. Once you learn to hone you can do practically anything and experiment at will with your stropping. But, I find that only a freshly honed razor stropped taut and light, creates the sharpest edge. From there its all a matter of taste driven to increase smoothness. But if you consider all the posts beginners have with things like "skipping" or "pulling" I kinda wish we could talk more about methods of more effective (and dullling and smoothing) actions. I typically don't even shave from the beginning with a razor that is all that sharp. But, when a razor is really smooth it can take on a whole new shaving pleasure.