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

I'm naturally clumsy. It's a balancing act to hold the razor with your index finger and thumb and flip it back and forth while keeping your wrist straight. It's the hardest part of straight shaving for me.

Yes, newbies need to develop muscle memory to get it right...or do they? I say you need to pay attention to what you are doing all the time and slow down. Why do I say this? I've been at this for several years now and JUST recently got my replacement leather in for my strop...I didn't nick my strop, I fillet'd a nice sized quarter out of mine about half the way thru the leather.

My realization was one of shock as the Gong razor I was stropping glided thru the leather so smoothly it spooked me...I'm thankful it's just a replacement SRP leather instead of stitches or worse.

Moral of the story: Slow down and pay attention, loose your train of thought and someone or thing is going to get hurt.

Believe me, it's not a concern for rookies. Heck, I nicked mine yesterday!

Personally, as soon as my mind starts to wander my hands get lazy. I usually lose
my rhythm and end up fumbling the flip, but not realizing it until I feel the blade sink into
the leather.

I have to force myself to focus on the repetitive motion of the stropping. That's the only
way for me to describe it.

I'm sure it's a little different for everyone though.

You'll figure it out fast enough though. As soon as it starts becoming expensive to correct
the damage you inflict

Drunk stropping... Bad idea...

I did it to gain the strop's respect and to help the national GDP.

It worked. I enter a room and the strops either tremble or run screaming.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

I'm naturally clumsy. It's a balancing act to hold the razor with your index finger and thumb and flip it back and forth while keeping your wrist straight. It's the hardest part of straight shaving for me.

From your description I would find that hard too. Do you not use your other fingers to help flip the razor ?

I've nicked my strop three times in a year of shaving; but two of those are in the last week!

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I've nicked my strop three times in a year of shaving; but two of those are in the last week!

Was alcohol involved

A lot of newcomers hold the strop at too steep of an angle. Try holding it perpendicular to the floor while stropping and it should help