Straight razor stropping

Hope this video will answer most questions you have and new people will learn right way how to strop.
gl
YouTube - straight razor stropping

Great video, Sham! I especially appreciate the part where you show how to hold the tang...

...because that is SO much easier than the 'wrong' way where it is held on the thin edge! I have been doing hat for a year, and wondered how better to hold it- as you point out, there is less wrist motion that way, but the hand form changes... I just tried it as you illustrated and it is much much easier, and no wrist movement or hand shape change at all... just fingers...


I am a humbled, and grateful, stropper. :tu

Sham, can you clarify what you mean by "right" and "wrong"? I just grabbed my strop and a razor to play around a bit. Granted, I have been using method 2 for about 2 years so it's what comes naturally to me at the moment, but I find it much more comfortable than method 3, and I find it gives me more control. Is there any reason, from a results standpoint, for me to break my routine and switch to method 3?

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Sham, can you clarify what you mean by "right" and "wrong"? I just grabbed my strop and a razor to play around a bit. Granted, I have been using method 2 for about 2 years so it's what comes naturally to me at the moment, but I find it much more comfortable than method 3, and I find it gives me more control. Is there any reason, from a results standpoint, for me to break my routine and switch to method 3?

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I will try my best what i mean right and wrong.
right stropping is while Person strop he/she has control of the blade better and most comfortable for use position his hand .
Can you use method 2? of course you can and you have been using it for 2 years.
what wrong is(this is a little strong word i really don't know how or which words i can use to be polite in this situation) on method 2 person who strops has to switch his fingers position from uncomfortable stropping(away from yourself)to comfortable stropping(while you strop toward to you).
what happens in this case toward to you stropping you do have control of your blade . you can put as much pressure you like or take off you like but while you strop away from you you simple cannot. method 2.
i hope i was clear.
Please try 3 it will take a little time to get used to and see what happens(of course this is optional)

I should edit . I don't think so you should brake your routine and learn new way . if you are comfortable the way you are using it that is fine.
i made this for new people if they start to learn easy way that will help them in long run.

Sham, you are a nice guy , can hone a heck of a razor, and come from a fine family .... but ..... there is the right way, the wrong way, and than there is MY WAY. :banghead: I just tried holding the blade with my thumb on the side of the tang and my index finger tip on the reverse side of the tang.

As soon as I started to strop I defaulted to tip of the thumb on the inside bottom of the tang and index finger tip on the top of the tang. I don't turn my wrist, just flip the razor between the two smoothly and with complete control. So I may be doing it "wrong" but it is working for me. :rock: More than one way to skin cat.

Edit; If I had the wherewithal I would demonstrate my perfect stropping technique and unlike Sham you would get to see my face too .... not just a pair of hands and a voice. :shrug:

Thanks for that great video, Sham! :rock:

Great video. This is the first time since I finally "got it" that I've heard anyone explain exactly what was meant by turning the wrist, exact finger positions, and actually mentioned "letting go" of the blade. My finger positions are more like JimmyHAD has described with my thumb on the inside of the tang, my index finger on the side of the tang, and the side of my middle finger on the outside of the tang. This gives me the confidence and control I need to more "loosely" hold the blade for better feed back from the leather and a loose enough grip so as the let the strop surface roll the blade for me as I start my flip at the end of my stroke. If I had not already figured this out, your video would have helped me immensely. Thanks!

My dear Sham:

That is an excellent video. The closeup of the hand-thumb-forefinger working together particularly is well done. Thank you, sir.

Regards,
Obie

Sham,

Many thanks :)

I have bouts of recurring stropping problems, always with the towards-me stroke; after watching your video, I went and stropped todays' razor - wonderful, all is well again in the PhatMan stropping world :)

Many thanks again !

Have fun !

best regards

Russ

Sham,

Thanks for the video, but I'll note disagreement with you here. The first method you showed (and called wrong) doesn't do justice to those who can actually hold there razor in the hand as you show without turning their wrist all the way over as you showed. The second method (which is how I do it incidentally) doesn't go from uncomfortable to comfortable as you stated in your response to Dylan. It is comfortable to comfortable, and there's nothing "wrong" with it. The third way is more uncomfortable for me than either the second demonstrated way and the first (which I can do without turning my wrist, and that technique was demonstrated in the video that Bart made).

All I've asked from you is to stop using words like "right" and "wrong" when describing techniques when it comes to how to hold the razor when stropping when the end result is good razor maintenance.

Kind regards,

Paul

Thank you, Sham, I have been using your advise on stropping for the past while and it has improved my shaves! I am grateful.

Sham,

Thanks for the video that i find most educating. Your right way is ok with razor that have 'typical' tang. For the last few years i've been trying to practice my stropping so that the movement of my wrist becomes minimized. However i still find this way very difficult with razor that have very thin tang - you can't turn such razors just between your thumb and index finger. With those i still have to take whole different hold of the tang and turn my wrist some more. I still think there's no something as absolute wrong or right as long as person is able to find himself the best control of the blade the way or another.

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Originally Posted by Sailor

Sham,

Thanks for the video that i find most educating. For the last few years i've been trying to practice my stropping so that the movement of my wrist becomes minimized. However i still find this way very difficult with razor that have very thin tang - you can't turn such razors just between your thumb and index finger. With those i still have to take whole different hold of the tang and turn my wrist some more.

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i agree with you 100% . it is not easy to strop thin shank blades.Specially if you have big working hands.

I actually find stropping razors with bigger custom scales to be difficult. I have a custom Bengal that is tough to strop because the scales are rounded and are big thick wood. I seem to prefer flat scales, like on a Pearl duck Special no.1.

While I haven't noticed issues with large or small scales, I frigging hate floppy blade to handle issues when stroping. I think the pin is worked hardened as I can't seen to tighten up 2 of my blades that are loose when opened all the way...

Gentlemen:

I am quite adept at rolling the razor's shank between thumb and forefinger, whether a thick shank or thin, with or without jimps. I encounter an occasional problem with shanks that have a thumb notch. That usually calls for a touch of improvisation, if slightly awkward, with the position of thumb and the forefinger. Any thoughts?

Regards,
Obie

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Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen:

I am quite adept at rolling the razor's shank between thumb and forefinger, whether a thick shank or thin, with or without jimps. I encounter an occasional problem with shanks that have a thumb notch. That usually calls for a touch of improvisation, if slightly awkward, with the position of thumb and the forefinger. Any thoughts?

Regards,
Obie

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will you please post video of it. use old strop and just show how you strop the blade.
that may help people same as me to see the problem .in that case i may be helpful.
So far i understand your thumb touches to the bottom of the blade there is the location of the thumb notch?
is that right?
if yes then move it on the side where is the stamp (wont be easy you need to train a little) and try see how that will feel.
in this case you will avoid the thumb notch.
hope it helps

Hello, Sham:

Thanks for your note. I'm afraid I do not have access to a video camera.

In recent weeks, however, I have done exactly what you suggest and it seems to work. I have moved my thumb out of the razor's thumb notch and closer to the pivot point on the shank. That's what I meant by improvising.

It's a little awkward and I am still getting used to it. You're very correct, though: your suggestion is a good way to overcome the problem with the thumb notch. Move the thumb out of the cavity and closer to the pivot.

Many thanks. I'll keep you apprised of my progress.

Regards,
Obie

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Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, Sham:

Thanks for your note. I'm afraid I do not have access to a video camera.

In recent weeks, however, I have done exactly what you suggest and it seems to work. I have moved my thumb out of the razor's thumb notch and closer to the pivot point on the shank. That's what I meant by improvising.

It's a little awkward and I am still getting used to it. You're very correct, though: your suggestion is a good way to overcome the problem with the thumb notch. Move the thumb out of the cavity and closer to the pivot.

Many thanks. I'll keep you apprised of my progress.

Regards,
Obie

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Obie keep it going you will be fine. takes time.gl

My dear Sham:

You are a pro, sir, and your advice and suggestions are most welcome.

Regards,
Obie