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I treated my Dovo Russian Leather strop with fromm's strop dressing a couple of times within about a year of getting it. Learned stropping on it, used it comparitively little. Then I hung it up and didn't use it for about four years plus. The strop is firm and glossy and smooth. Cleaned and pumiced it recently and have been giving daily hand rubbings and stropping with it. I don't think it is keeping my razor sharp
Any advice?
Michael
Unless it was drying out why all the treatment. Any strop especially the harder ones will become glossy over time and smooth is what you want. Probably one good treatment with your hand or some dressing was all you needed. The pumice thing was not called for. Either way if it's smooth and supple it should still work unless you over applied dressing to it or really messed up the surface with the pumice. Have any pictures?
Bigspendur,
When I got it I didn't know too much about proper strop care. Just wanted to do something to the strop and improve it, hence the strop dressing. But that was years ago. The pumice was part of several cleaning instructions I found. I wasn't too rough on it at all, no damage.
It's just not feeling right to me. Not enough draw. Not supple enough. Maybe slight cupping. And my razor dulls after three shaves ("blue steel" honed on 8000 grit).
Now I have just been hoping a conservative approach will work. A lot of hand rubbing. Today I rubbed my forehead with my hand then did an extensive palm rubbing on the strop. This transferred a fair amount of skin oil and the rubbing heated the leather. Might have made a difference because my razor felt good on the strop and was hair popping afterwards. I will shave tonight and update.
Michael
Draw is just a physical characteristic and has nothing to do with functionality. Some strops can be stiff and still work perfectly fine. The cupping of course is not good and you can try the old rolling trick with a bottle or try stretching with weights. The razor issue isn't due to the strop that's a whole different matter. A leather strop doesn't really sharpen it just dresses the strop and make the razor shave more comfortably and make a tad of difference. It sounds like the razor needs some work assuming your shave technique is up to snuff.
The razor seems pretty sharp when I am done honing it. I am able to get a clean shave with no nicks and razor burn. I miss maybe one or two tiny spots. Not perfect at shaving yet but I have been getting the job done. The razor just dulls quickly (starts pulling, and I get nicks). Then after a touch up on 8k, the razor shaves good again. I have had to repeat this cycle about 4 times. Is good stropping supposed to maintain the sharpness for a while between touch ups?Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
-----Michael
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Update:
I think the strop is working better now. Three or so shaves since I did the forehead oil palm rub treatment and the razor has seemed pretty consistent. Also note that I rubbed the strop with a smooth metal can when it was warmed and after palm rubbing. Didn't mention that before. Still shaving comfortably since last touch up.
---Michael
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-----Michael
I am a bit of a noob to straight razors, but it sounds like your honing was not up to snuff. If you just keep doing it like you are doing it, you will probably notice it holds the edge longer and longer. From what I have read, you should get a few months from a good hone, stropping every shave. Probably changed the bevel a hair a hair and if you looked at the edge through a microscope you would see a line where the bevel changed. each "cycle" the line is moving away from the edge making that bevel stronger. I am also fairly certian the strop/linen does not actually remove metal but massages the edge back straight. either all the rambling or you may have a razor with too soft of steel to hold an edge long. if that is the case, softer steel will also hone up faster.Quote:
Originally Posted by mjsorkin