Thread: Pinning: Tight or loose?

This is a question more geared toward the stropping realm than the restoration realm, but I think it probably is better suited to this forum than the stropping forum considering it's about the actual pins and not the stropping itself...if that makes any sense.

Is having a tightly pinned razor a necessity, or are loosely pinned razors generally ok too? I'm still struggling to strop my Boker Edelweiss properly, and I think I've determined that the pinning is one of the variables that make that razor feel uncomfortable in my hand. When I strop my Wolfertz, which is more loosely pinned, I can feel the scales rotating slightly to accommodate my palm, and this allows me to strop quickly and smoothly. With the Boker, the scales/pins are stiff, and they don't rotate in my palm, which makes the razor feel clunky and like I have to reposition each stroke.

Is it possible to loosen the pin in the Boker a little bit? Or does this mean I need to strop differently?

That's real interesting... I am the opposite - the scales rest on my fingers and I prefer them to be tight.
If they are too loose it makes stropping very difficult for me.

Little hint:

Take the razor and hold it spine up in both hands with your forefingers and thumbs resting lightly on the pins...

Flip the razor spine down, do not squeeze the scales or the pins, does the razor open by just the weight of the blade ??? if it does then I consider the pins too loose...


My other test is that the razor should sit in the half open posistion without closing, you ever noticed that so many restorers use this type of shot when showing off custom scales ???



It shows that the pins are tight and the razor is built square and even, all from just a pic If the scales are uneven, loose, or built off kilter, the razor won't stand pretty without support..

Many factory scaled razors will not stand without support, not good or bad just the way it is



Anyway that is just my opinion take it for what it's worth as I am +1 with Eric I can't strop with too loose a razor

Originally Posted by HNSB

That's real interesting... I am the opposite - the scales rest on my fingers and I prefer them to be tight.
If they are too loose it makes stropping very difficult for me.

Exactly the same for me, I really dislike loose scales

I don't mind so much if the blade is a little loose in the scales as long as it tightens up at the stropping position. A loose blade while stropping is the road to rolled edges and sliced strops IMO.

well ok then. I guess I need to work on my stropping then, don't I?

I feel like I lose all control of the blade when it's loose in the stropping position.

Loose scales are IMO a death trap for either nicking your strop or cutting yourself when shaving.

Tight is a good thing

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Loose scales are IMO a death trap for either nicking your strop or cutting yourself when shaving.

I don't understand how...when I'm stropping and shaving, my grip is on the razor, not the scales. When I'm stropping, my fingers are on the jimps and the scales are just floating in my hand. Same with shaving.

So if most of your contact is between finger and steel, what does the looseness or tightness of the pins have to do with anything?