Before or after the shave?

[kohalajohn]

Some of us strop on leather, then shave, then do a pasted strop, or some other maintenance thing, then put the razor away.

Some of us, like myself, do everything before the shave. Right now, for me, it's stropping on pasted balsa, then leather then shave.

Pros and cons? Any reason for one method over another?

Ideas appreciated.

John

 

[Legion]

You shouldn't need the pasted strop before every shave. Maybe only every 5th, or so. You will just be prematurely rounding the edge and wearing out the razor.

I do linen/leather. A few laps after the shave to clean the edge, and 50x before the shave.

 

[David]

If you're doing the 'Slash McCoy' method I don't see that it matters really. I don't see any pros or cons to either.

 

[Bobski]

I'm with kohalajohn on this one. Everything before the shave. I'm a Kanayama user and my everyday strop is a 3 piece #70000. My routine is every half a dozen stropping I do five laps on a crox impregnated linen strop. For all shaves I then do 20 strokes on the canvas piece, 30 strokes on the suede piece and 100 on the cordovan leather. Great edges and lovely shaves. I have seen many say they strop post shave to ' clean/dry' the razor. Once I have shaved I dry it thoroughly on tissue paper and I spray it with a product Inox mx3, a lubricant, protectant that does not gum up or evaporate. Is not petrol by product. Perfect for razors.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I do 50 laps on leather before I shave. Post shave I do 15 laps on newspaper (some use linen) to dry the edge.

 

[A Cut Above]

I strop after the shave. Mostly to make sure to remove any cream or soap. I find with the Livi loom strop all I need is 20-25 on the skin side and it's good to go. Before shaving I will do 15-20 palm strops. Mastro Livi said when you palm strop before shaving, the blade picks up the oil in your palm and that helps smooth the shave. He doesn't recommend palm stropping after shaving because the oil and salt in your palm can damage the blade.

 

[C FrankC]

On a razor in my running rotation I will strop on Flax linen a dozen laps post shave to clean and dry the edge, then usually about 50-60 on clean leather before I shave.
Honing brings another set of requirements for the strops.