Stropping Pitfall for Newbies

**zib** · 09-02-2010, 02:18 AM

Check with the seller, He'll probably have it all stropped up for you, so you won't have to for your first shave. When you do strop, start slow and methodical. You can practice on an old leather belt if you have one. Speed will come with time, so really take it easy at first, Not to much pressure, really just the weight of the blade...After a while you'll develop a rhythm...

As far as how many passes is up to you, A good reference point would be
25 on linen or cotton and 50 on leather...Your just really polishing up the edge....

P.S. Give the strop a good rub down with the palm of your hand before you start, It'll warm up the leather and make it more flexible for your blade....

**ElChe** · 09-02-2010, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by volleykinginnc

mmm...maybe I didn't watch enough videos....you strop 100 times on your palm and there is no point or objective to stropping? Now I'm confused....which actually leads to another question I had....I've seen people post that they strop anywhere from 20-100 times which is a big difference. how do you know how many are ideal or when you are done?

What I believe J-P meant (I may be wrong, if I am sorry J-P), was not strop with your palm 100 times, but rub your palm on the strop prior to stropping your razor on your strop. The oils from your hands serve to warm up the strop and "break it in".

The biggest thing for me (as a fellow newbie) is to remember to use very little pressure - use just enough horizontal force to move the blade, but no real downward force. This is the same thing I try to remind myself when shaving.

Good luck!

Cheers,
ElChe

**PhatMan** · 09-02-2010, 07:12 AM

volleykinginnc,

The best video I have seen on how to strop right was done by our own hi_bud_gl (Sham)

YouTube - straight razor stropping

**sigmasix** · 09-02-2010, 09:36 AM

I'm no pro but have got a lot better from when I started a couple months ago with my stropping.

My main suggestion is to 'draw' the razor across the strop. Not to push the razor across/into the strop. You should help the razor 'travel across' the strop lightly, not sure how to describe it any better

Also go slow and take your time, my impatience cost me a ding in one of my razors that needed repair, the edge is so fragile. Other than that muscle memory, practice and if you have the time/will newspaper stropping to perfect your technique.

**Formel1** · 09-02-2010, 12:41 PM

or get a SRD paddle strop and have one less issue to worry about in the beginning, tension of the strop....

**LawsonStone** · 09-02-2010, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Yes when I started this tight thing was an obsession. I used to tie the strop to the back of my Honda Civic and the other end to my son's Civic and get the wheels spinning I knew the strop was tight enough just that my car had a bigger engine so I only had enough time to do a quick stropping before his car was pulled half way down the block.

LOL!
Of course, when I said "tight" I only meant reasonably tight. My strop bounces maybe a half inch when I'm stropping, partly because of tension on the strop but also because I try to strop as lightly as I can and still keep the right contact.

I also realized this AM that I slow down and try to use the full length of the strop. I pause a beat at the flip before moving the other direction, too, which I hadn't realized.

**thebigspendur** · 09-02-2010, 03:59 PM

People can get carried away with this pressure thing. You just hold the strop comfortably tight so there is slight deflection and watch your pressure.

You need to be careful with wanting to use the entire strop length. I used to obsess with that also and found myself hitting the hardware at the end or the embossing at the ends.

Stropping is one of those things that seems deceptively simple yet is something requiring a definite skill set. Pressure, angle,wrist motion,turning the razor, conditioning the strop,holding the strop, strokes on the strop all have to come together the right way. You just take it slow and easy and it eventually all comes together.

**hoglahoo** · 09-02-2010, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Learning to strop cartridge blades ... modified my thoughts on what the objective was.

Would you mind to elaborate on this?

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