Thread: Hi all, i'm new stroping

Like i said im new to the world of stropping.
I just got a new straight razor set for a christmas gift and i dont rely know what im doing.
Iv been using a cheap cut throat for some time now, it uses disposible blades so i never had to sharpen one.

The set i got with the razor has a lather strop with it.
I ant shure how i go about braking in the strop, it also came with a dressing cream but i dont know if i should use it or not.
how do i brake this strop in and do i need to get a honing strop to.

G'Day Deano77777 and welcome to SRP.
Put the paste in the drawer for now and leave it there.
Whenever you think about it rub the palm of your hand over your strop a few times to transfer the skin oil to the leather (this helps to keep it supple and break it in).
Read as much as you can in the WIKI about stropping.
When you are ready, place your strop in a flat surface (eg. bench top) and, using light strokes, practice the flip that you have researched above.
Concentrate on technique rather than speed and you'll get it in no time.
Here is an exerpt from a PM I received recently which will help you understand the technique and method

Two barbers back in the 1960's told me that I should strop with my thumb on the corner of the tang. And some wrist turning is OK.

They also told me that if I wrap my little finger and my ring finger lightly around the handle, it would help me turn [manipulate] the razor with very little wrist turning. Those two fingers on the handle give me more control when changing direction on the strop. It works quite well for me all these years.

Also you must keep the spine in contact with the strop at all times and practice stropping in slow motion until you feel confident with your stropping method. Strop slow enough so you can actually see the edge flipping at the correct moment. Speed is never important.

I just thought I would tell you what the barbers told me.

Examine this thought. On each stroke you are making a 180 degree change of direction. Do not start this change of direction until you have lifted the cutting edge off of the strop and do not let the edge touch the strop until you have fully changed direction.

You must come to a complete stop before you can change direction. During this momentary "stop", the razor edge should not be touching the strop. The edge only goes back on the strop when the directional change is completed and your hand and razor edge is moving in the correct direction.

Practice all of the above in absolute slow motion and try to see and feel the edge come off the strop at the right moment and go back on the strop at the right moment.

Focus on keeping the razor flat on the strop.

The edge only belongs on the strop when it is moving in the right direction. When your brain realizes that your stropping motion is all of a sudden out of sync with your count, your hand will automatically stop dead in its tracks. I have proven this many times. The first time you catch yourself out of sync, you will realize how well this system works.

Again, do all this in SLOW MOTION until you can feel the correct stropping stroke. I always take a deep breath first and always start with the "toward me" stroke.

Stropping is a matter of precise timing just like a musician counting time while playing an instrument. Musicians count time; that's how they play the correct note at the precise moment it needs to be played. With just a little imagination, you can adapt this counting method to your stropping stroke. One and two and three and four. That's all there is to it. If you nick your strop, you are going too fast. Slow down...

S L O W M O T I O N and C O U N T I N G are the keys to developing a successful stropping stroke. Concentrate, FOCUS ON THE COUNT.............

Thanks to mrsell63
I've never heard of a 'honing strop' (unless it is one that is treated with CrOx paste)
I hope this helps.
Hang on and enjoy the ride

We have a bunch of threads on the stropping forum concerning how to start out with a strop. It would be to your advantage to check them out. It might save you heartache down the road. The only thing I'll tell you is go slow and easy and practice with a dulled razor or butter knife until you get the stropping routine down. The key is minimal pressure and developing the stropping routine.

For your consideration, AFDavis11 has two videos right on the main page of SRP that really show the motion your fingers use to properly strop. Visual aids really, really help.

Apologies if I'm wrong but why does the word 'troll' come to mind...

this ant a troll man, just dont want to fuck up my first straight blade and strop