Thread: Why do I cut the Strop?

if the knicks are small try no to sweat it. I have knicked mine as well...it happens

Hello guys,

ok then, I will try to go slower and paying more attention.

Agan,

thanks all

If you have had your razor professionally honed the first shave with it should be without stropping it first. You will then know what a good sharp blade feels and cuts like. The next shave stop the razor first and if it shaves worse than the first time you may have a problem and you are dulling the razor with your stropping.

You can do a search on the forum as I know there are threads on repairing strops that have been cut. Yea, it happens that often to beginners like me. I still use my original strop and it has been repaired by me.

Like everyone else has said the key when you are learning to strop is to already have the razor going in the other direction spine first before the cutting edge hits the strop. Go slowly and with light pressure. If you get frustrated take a break there is always another day.

Bob

It is better to repair any nicks. Contact cement &/or an abrasive on light nicks is fine.
Strop treatment and repair - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Hello Onimaru55

Thanks for your reply.

I was looking, but how do you fix a leather strop? Another baffling issue for me in the world of straight razor.

Thanks

ps. I looked at the wiki,contact cement...???

No problemo. If you have sliced a flap out of your strop it can be glued back down with contact cement or rubber cement, Pliobond is good. If you have just small nicks you can sand the strop with sandpapers or use a pumice stone (old school) or use a diamond plate (new school). Make sure there is no abrasive left in/on the leather. A rub with a Scotchbrite pad may help there.

Hello again,

i will make sure to read just in case about the pomice stone to repair the leather strop.

So now the question that I have is: let's say that somehow I did not strop the razor properly, is there any way I can test it for that?

Thanks!!!

Hi Onimaru55,

I did not sliced a flap out of the strop, but you know when you flip the razor during stropping it and if you make a mistake(well at least like me ..lol) the blade gets stuck on the strop and not cut it but mark it? hmmhmh I hope you know what I mean...


Thanks

Stropping is a little like learning a fingerpicking pattern on the guitar, or how to cast a fly rod. Start your forward cast too soon, and you can snap off your fly (nicked strop equals the $1.50 cast!) Go slow and methodical as you build in the muscle memory; should happen pretty quick. I find that even 2 years in, my stropping keeps improving.

Merry Christmas all! Aaron

Originally Posted by gcappo

So now the question that I have is: let's say that somehow I did not strop the razor properly, is there any way I can test it for that?

Only in the shave being bad & then you need to know the razor was good the first time. That & also if you have nicked your strop , obviously.

Originally Posted by gcappo

I did not sliced a flap out of the strop, but you know when you flip the razor during stropping it and if you make a mistake(well at least like me ..lol) the blade gets stuck on the strop and not cut it but mark it? hmmhmh I hope you know what I mean...

If you mean the edge got stuck it has nicked the strop & some sanding may solve that.