Thread: Why do so many newbies cut or nick their strop?

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Sort of like newbie sex,overinthusiasm (sp)

I'm not sure I want to explore that analogy too far... except to say that if you nick your "strop" during newb sex, you really might want to rethink your angle of attack.....

Anyway, I can assure you that there comes a time in every stropper's life when they step up, grab that strop, take a deep breath, and go hammer and tongs with semi - to fully - disastrous results. You'll nick it. It is not a matter of if, but simply a matter of when.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I'm not sure I want to explore that analogy too far... except to say that if you nick your "strop" during newb sex, you really might want to rethink your angle of attack.....

Anyway, I can assure you that there comes a time in every stropper's life when they step up, grab that strop, take a deep breath, and go hammer and tongs with semi - to fully - disastrous results. You'll nick it. It is not a matter of if, but simply a matter of when.

James.

Yea that makes more sense. As a new stropper, I would be going extremely slow and careful, i just dont see how i would get a nick that way. however, im sure at some point ill get over confident and try to go super fast, which is probably when ill get my first cut on my strop.

Thanks for the help everyone, makes more sense now why/how one would cut their strop.

James

Originally Posted by jgrunst

Yea that makes more sense. As a new stropper, I would be going extremely slow and careful, i just dont see how i would get a nick that way. however, im sure at some point ill get over confident and try to go super fast, which is probably when ill get my first cut on my strop.
...
James

Yes, it is most unlikely that you will nick your strop going slowly and carefully. But to grow as a stropper you need to push yourself little by little over time. At least, that is my opinion. You cannot stay slow forever - there is some switch in the male brain that flicks on at some point that makes you go for the "fists of fury" moment. It is the same switch that is linked to the one in your wife's head that makes her say "I told you so"!!

James.

Doesn't even have to be a matter of trying to strop fast. I get complacent sometimes, that's when I make mistakes. One strop in particular I was hell bent on never nicking, I was just stropping at a medium to slow pace, and BAM. Still not entirely sure WHY I nicked it. It just happened.

I did at the beginning nicked my strop a few times, then after some good technique you get a little over -confident and it might happen again,
that said when i start stropping now i start slow make sure position and razor feels good and go to town!!

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Let's not Jinx this

Luckily I made my paddle strop from wood, so I can knock on it before every stropping session to keep karma at bay.

Another main cause of strop nicking is not keeping the razor level with the strop. If your wrist or elbow drop during your stroke you're likely to dig the heel of the razor into the strop, causing a nick on the edge closest to your hand. I'm sure that's familiar to many straight shavers

Originally Posted by jgrunst

I am new to straight razor shaving, and actually haven't even purchased my first razor or my first strop. I keep reading about how all newbies will nick or cut there strop, and some people suggest getting a cheap strop because of this. I am just have a hard time thinking of how one would even cut a strop if your are stropping leading with the spine (which is how I understand you are supposed to do it). Unless as a newbie you tried to go super fast for some foolish reason, i just don't see how my blade would nick my strop since I wouldn't be leading with the blade.

Am I missing something? Any help would be appreciated since I will be getting y first straight and strop within the month. Thanks to everyone here, all extremely informative.

jqrunst
Try this blog for stropping help.

Go to the blog section and click page 7.

Then read this blog presently on page 7:

NICK-FREE STROPPING METHOD
by
mrsell63
View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Send Email , 12-28-2011 at 01:00 PM
"NO-NICK STROPPING"

I don't know how to give you the link so you must do it manually...

Jerry

Here you go: http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...ng-method.html

For future reference to see people's blogs simply left click on their username and then choose "view blog entries" from the menu that appears.

James.

I hate to admit this, but the first time I used a strop, I used the blade as the leading edge instead of the spine! I only did that once, as it severely shortened the life of my strop! I also used to get nicks from flipping the razor too fast at the end of the stroke, going in the other direction before it was completely flipped. All lessons learned though, I haven't nicked a strop in a long time.