Stropping

[bluesparkuk]

First i'll say i'm no stropping expert(i don't think),here's how i normally do things,i've found i like a paddle strop more than a hanging strop,after a shave,i dry the straight razor using a clean dry face cloth,then i'll sit it in an open position on a razor holder for a day or two(maybe three if i've forgotten about it),then using a paddle strop i'll give it about 50 laps per side,then i'll give it a couple drops of razor oil,rub the oil over the blade,then i'll use a dry facecloth again to remove any lingering oil,before storing away in either my display box or in a leather holder,my favourite straights are in the box,others are in the leather cases,then on next use,because it's already been stropped,i'll give it perhaps 10 or 15 laps on a hanging strop before use,every(perhaps) 5 or 6 uses i'll give the razor around 50 laps on a pasted paddle strop,i find this works for me,how do you do it

 

[silverlifter]

After I shave, dry the razor on my towel and then I do 40-50 laps on linen. I finish by using a doubled piece of toilet paper to dry between the scales. No real humidity here, so I just put the razor back in its coffin in a drawer.

Before I shave, I do ~80 laps on leather.

After honing: ~60 laps on linen, followed by the same on leather.

 

[Legion]

After the shave I'll dry the razor well with towel and TP, strop it about 5-10 times on linen and leather, just to make sure the edge is 100% clean of moisture and soap residue, and put it away in its coffin on a high shelf, away from my daughters curious little hands.

Before the shave about 15x on linen, 30x leather.

 

[PintoPlain]

After the shave I rinse and dry the blade with TP. Ensure it is free of detritus and put the razor aside. Before the next time I use the razor, strop until it sounds right and then shave. Number of laps can be between 10 and 60 depending on the razor and sound.

 

[Ravenonrock]

After shaving I clean and dry razor, run a piece of TP between the scales, strop on clean leather 10-20 laps. Before shave strop on poly webbing 10-20 laps, then clean leather about 50 laps, depending.

 

[Frank Shaves]

After shaving, 30 laps on linen and 30 laps on leather. Before shaving, 30 laps on leather.

 

[bmiller3230]

If its carbon steel, I wipe dry then strop as many time as I think is reasonable to remove moisture--that is the reason for stropping right after shaving. Then, wipe the blade down with TP with a few drops of mineral/baby oil. Seems to work to stop corrosion from the edge or pitting. Stainless, I just wipe moisture off and strop 5 to 10 on linen and leather and hang it on a razor stand.

I keep none of mine in the bathroom, where all the magic happens...

 

[bmiller3230]

If its carbon steel, I wipe dry then strop as many time as I think is reasonable to remove moisture--that is the reason for stropping right after shaving. Then, wipe the blade down with TP with a few drops of mineral/baby oil. Seems to work to stop corrosion from the edge or pitting. Stainless, I just wipe moisture off and strop 5 to 10 on linen and leather and hang it on a razor stand.

I keep none of mine in the bathroom, where all the magic happens...

I should have added, before a shave, its always 20 linen, 40 leather. After honing, its 60/60

 

[Goofy_Bee]

Prior to shaving I strop 20-25 laps on clean leather (Latigo).
After shaving clean the blade with liquid "soap" (syndent) and hot water (to heat up the metal a bit, increases the drying speed) and to be sure the edge is bonedry, I strop 2-3 short laps on fabric (linen or jeans). Due to the storage (a display hanging in my bathroom) I protect all my non-stainless SR with Ballistol.

 

[TSENG]

Just like everyone else did above, after shaving, I will blow this area with a blow ball first.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Or just don’t get the pivot wet.

I strop mostly on flax linen, during honing and prior to shaving 10-15 laps and 5-10 on leather and another 5 on linen.

Post shave wipe well, with dry microfiber and 10-15 laps on linen to clean the razor and edge of soap and any water. Wipe with dry microfiber and put up with razor open in a vintage glass butter dish.

I let flax linen do the grunt work and do a lite final polish with leather.

Stropping between stones or Nagura progression will improve your edges, by removing any flashing, micro burrs and allowing the razor and bevel to lay flat on the stones as the edge is polished.

 

[Trikuha]

Just like everyone else did above, after shaving, I will blow this area with a blow ball first.
View attachment 1756460

I have one of these for watch dials. I will use it after shaving. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Honedright]

I just follow the directions from vintage Barber texts. Generally the directions are: if the razor is fresh off of the hone, strop on the leather only and lightly (no canvas/ linen). The rationale is that the edge fresh off of the hone is too delicate for the relatively course linen. Use the linen first, then leather, only after the blade has been used for shaving.

Strop on leather until the edge is whetted enough to pass the “Thumb Test.” No Barber text I’ve read calls it the “Thumb Test” but the student is directed to use the moistened thumb pad to test the stropped edge. This procedure actually, very slightly when done correctly, cuts into the very outer layer of dead skin on the thumb pad. Once the right feel is detected, the razor is presumed ready for shaving. Of course this last part requires a bit of experience to learn what is the “right feel.”

The text instructs the student to strop before the shave, in the middle of the shave, before the second time over, and, whenever it seems necessary to strop the razor.

Other tips are: don’t strop too fast, or too slow. Apply about one and one half the weight of the razor on the strop. And, rub the strop with the heel of the hand before every use. Students are told that to clean the leather, as well as linen strop, just apply thick creamy lather and rub with the palm of the hand. Also, that the razor should be thoroughly rinsed and dried, but never oiled since oil will attract dirt and hair. Also that Johnson’s Liquid Floor Wax is sufficient to clean and dress the leather strop (that would apply to the Johnson’s product available when the particular book was published in the 1940’s. Unknown if the current product would be appropriate).