Thread: first strop

Hi I am just about to strop my first cut throat razor with the strop i got a white tube with a yellow band around it now do i put it on the strop before i do the razor or not. I did hear is that you rub the palms of your hand all over it first before putting the razor on the strop . The strop I do have there is two parts to it on the reverse of the black leather is a black slightly ribbed cloth looks a bit like corduroy the second part is a very light smooth chammy like martial can someone explain what do i use these for?

Cant anybody tell me what these other parts of the strop are used for Pretty Please!!!

Usually the cloth is used first before the leather. You do 15-20 strokes on the cloth the you go to the leather side. This is what i've heard at least. Maybe a more senior member can explain in greater detail. Also check the stroping forum.

Thank you for answering that by the cloth side do you mean the the black slightly ribbed side on the other side of leather strop or the tan like strop like in the picture if so what is the tan strip for? Many Thanks

Im not too sure. From reading your original post again it seems like your cloth side has two parts. I'm not to well versed on stops like this. My own personal stop only has two parts, the leather and the white cloth side. I cant say for sure which part you should use on the cloth except that usually the cloth comes first then the leather.

You might want to leave the tubed material alone until you are a lot farther along in your stropping and feel confident about
your technique. The advice you have been given is correct. The cloth strop is used prior to the finish strop. With out seeing a picture of the back of your leather I cannot tell you if it has a purpose. Where did you buy the strop?
What you have heard about a daily use of your palm rubbing the smooth leather strop is correct. Oil from your skin keeps the strop in great condition to look after your razors. Hold the strop as if you are going to strop a razor and use your palm
to rub the strop from top to bottom several times.

Once again thanks for the answers so far I have included photos above the first one shows what is on the reverse side of the leather strop the second photo is the second strop that's hanging with it the strop was not expensive i got it to learn stropping then going to upgrade to better one any advice on a upgrade would be most welcome the one i have at the moment is no name make and is 3" wide I have been also told its better to do a x strop rather than the up/down way is this true? And if you do not mind how many strops do you do before a shave with a shave ready razor and do you strop after the shave. Sorry for all the Q & many thanks

Originally Posted by lz6

You might want to leave the tubed material alone until you are a lot farther along in your stropping and feel confident about
your technique. The advice you have been given is correct. The cloth strop is used prior to the finish strop. With out seeing a picture of the back of your leather I cannot tell you if it has a purpose. Where did you buy the strop?
What you have heard about a daily use of your palm rubbing the smooth leather strop is correct. Oil from your skin keeps the strop in great condition to look after your razors. Hold the strop as if you are going to strop a razor and use your palm
to rub the strop from top to bottom several times.

The yellow band tube is strop conditioner, not an abrasive