Stropping Technique

As I prepare to put my son's first straight razor package together as he used one of mine here on a visit and liked it he asked me some questions after watching some stropping videos, I was explaining/showing him how I strop (I personally go slow now) anyway I know you are supposed to hold the razor by the shank pinching it on the narrow sides and roll it like a pencil when flipping, well I can't seem to grasp this ability and have tried repeatedly over the course of many months and the only thing I've managed to do besides keep the razor sharp was to "nick" my TM strop several times ( He is getting the nicked strop, it's really not bad ) so I now pinch it on the narrow edges of the shank and flip my wrist instead of rolling as it feels more natural, well long story short he pointed out that I was stropping incorrectly so I have to ask can good stropping be done either way or do I need to relearn the flipping technique and run the risk of nicking my new TM strop.

Here is his gifted straight razor startup I am mailing him once he get's moved:

TM Strop with a few battle scars
Boker "King Cutter"
Natural hone and will add a slurry stone

Not only do I not flip the razor in my fingers, I also don't flip it on its spine. My arthritic fingers will allow neither. Honing and stropping, I always turn the razor over spine over edge against everything that is holy. I have never once cut a strop or damaged an edge doing it this way. The proper technique is what works consistently for you.

Nice starter set. Great gift!

Thanks for the input, I have tried rolling it like a pencil but it just does not feel right and that is how I gave my first strop a few battle scars so I think I will just do what feels right and gives me the keen edge.

What I do is pay attention to pressure, sound, feel, drag, any gritty feeling, etc. I then do what is working best for me based on the shave test. I do read and try different things from time to time.

HTH

Well I did strop a few razors today and slowed way down and am going to develope my own technique that fits me, I tried the rolling thing again and I just cannot manage to make this work for me so instead of nicking a new TM strop I am going to do what works for me and maybe down the road I can try something else, BTW my new TM premium steerhide is smooth and the draw is wonderful and consistent.

No two folks strop alike. I barely hold the razor. It lays limp in my hand and the reverse in direction create the momentum which flips the razor, it is all about feel. If you have a taught strop it changes everything. You just have to develop your own feel. It does not come in weeks or days. Be patient and spare your strops.

I'm fairly new to B&B, when I strop, I use the flip over on the spine method. I just bought a new 3" English Bridle leather strop, and don't want to start having any cuts, in the leather, so I'm starting very slowly to perfect the action, I think this is the preferred method, in all the videos I've watched.

When I started out, I was gripping the shank by the "narrow sides" (top and bottom) doing the pencil flip as described. Although I felt pretty adept at this, I would mysteriously nick the edge of the strop from time to time. When I switched to a side-to-side grip of the shank, with a slight diagonal bias with the thumb towards the edge, along with a slight turn of the wrist rather than pencil-flip, I no longer nicked the strop. That's what I've been using ever since.

Alum of Potash said:

When I started out, I was gripping the shank by the "narrow sides" (top and bottom) doing the pencil flip as described. Although I felt pretty adept at this, I would mysteriously nick the edge of the strop from time to time. When I switched to a side-to-side grip of the shank, with a slight diagonal bias with the thumb towards the edge, along with a slight turn of the wrist rather than pencil-flip, I no longer nicked the strop. That's what I've been using ever since.

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This is kinda what I've been doing but still working on technique that will work for me, thanks !!

You're welcome. Like everyone says, take it slow, at least for starters when trying a new method, and don't feel obliged to use all of the strop's length during a pass.

Alum of Potash said:

You're welcome. Like everyone says, take it slow, at least for starters when trying a new method, and don't feel obliged to use all of the strop's length during a pass.

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That's another thing, I always feel as if I have to use the entire length but after reading this I tried a different stroke and used about 1/4 less stroke and it felt more natural.

Shorter strokes on a strop or a hone will usually allow greater control of pressure, angles, etc - for most people.
I hardly ever go the full length on any strop, there's no need for me to do so. It's fun, but I usually stick oto the middle 2/3 section.
My hold on the tang changes with direction - short sides going, wider sides coming back.
IMO - there is no right/wrong - what feels/works best is all that matters.