I had accepted the practice of stropping before and after shaving without question, but it's just occurred to me that it's approximately the same thing. That is, both stropping sessions take place between one shave and the next. So the question is, why do it twice? As long as the blade is clean and completely dry after a shave, why not do all of the edge-conditioning stropping before the next shave? Am I forgetting something?
Stropping before AND after shaving?
- Thread starter SumoRabbitOfDoom
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I think this is where the voodoo comes into play. 
I strop 10 times after shaving just to dry it off and just in case there is any "repairing" going on after a shave that is done by stropping.
If I use a paddle strop before shaving I'll do about 30 laps. If I use my hanging strop I'll do 10 laps on linen and then 30 on leather.
I've read that some think that it damages a blade to strop right after shaving. Other do 100 laps before and after shaving.
I take the moderate course of action.
I strop 10 times after shaving just to dry it off and just in case there is any "repairing" going on after a shave that is done by stropping.If I use a paddle strop before shaving I'll do about 30 laps. If I use my hanging strop I'll do 10 laps on linen and then 30 on leather.
I've read that some think that it damages a blade to strop right after shaving. Other do 100 laps before and after shaving.
I take the moderate course of action.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
I always strop after shaving mostly to clean the bevel of any residual soap scum which can and will hold moisture.
I have in addition stropped before shaving but I cannot tell a difference.
Cheers, Steve
I have in addition stropped before shaving but I cannot tell a difference.
Cheers, Steve
I agree with the OP; I only strop after the shave (linen and leather). Works for me.
Conventional wisdom is post shave stropping assures blade is clean and dry for storage. Pre-shave stropping is to polish out any oxidation that can form on the edge between shaves. This is more important if you have a lot of razors in your rotation and the idle time on your razors is longer. My experience says you can't strop too much if you do it properly.
I strop on poly webbing after the shave to clean / dry off the razor. Then, I let the razor sit out to dry until the evening. I strop it on leather and then place it in my razor roll. I strop it again on leather right before shaving.
I am prone to make a mistake stropping if I try to do too many laps at once. It it simply easier for me to break it up.
I am prone to make a mistake stropping if I try to do too many laps at once. It it simply easier for me to break it up.
Before-50 or so on the fabric, 50 or So on the leather. 15-20 on fabric afterwards. Every time
Is the fabric supposed to do something other than dry/clean off the blade?
Many theories on that. I just use it to get whatever residue there might be off the blade. I now expect the members who believe elsewise to start chiming in
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
It has just become a very obsessive habit for me. Sort of a superstitious habit as a matter of fact.
Why would I want to strop half as much as I can?
- Thread starter
- #12
Some interesting points here. What makes the most sense to me is the cleaning/drying post-shave and polishing pre-shave. This suggests that the most efficient routine would possibly be linen post-shave and leather pre-shave. Of course, I love going through the whole ritual of it all, whether or not it's entirely necessary or just 'voodoo', but the technician in me is curious to know exactly what's happening at each stage.
I had also seen that some think the post-shave stropping somehow damages the blade, but can't for the life of me figure out why that would be.
I had also seen that some think the post-shave stropping somehow damages the blade, but can't for the life of me figure out why that would be.
I've never been clear as to what the stated purpose is for all the various surfaces on strops. There's linen, rough leather and smooth leather. Why would you strop on rough leather unless it was pasted?
If linen is just to dry/clean the blade why would anyone do more than 10 passes on linen? If plain leather is to realign the edge after shaving shouldn't that occur long before 50 passes?
If linen is just to dry/clean the blade why would anyone do more than 10 passes on linen? If plain leather is to realign the edge after shaving shouldn't that occur long before 50 passes?
I originally had the same thought as the OP but have read and read that pre and post shave stropping is necessary so I have been doing it without much thought, I have tried skipping the pre shave stropping and not noticed any difference in the shave but after a short time I wondered about any oxidation buildup as I have almost 20 razors in rotation so each one only gets used about once every three weeks so i went back to the pre shave, my current regime is I do 10-15 on linen and 30-40 on leather for the pre shave then 15/25 post shave on linen/leather, I still cannot tell the difference in skipping the linen or using it and even after all this time I still cannot understand the use of the cotton webbing on the Kanayama so I honestly rarely use it, it's been suggested by some that coticule edges benefit more from linen use that other edges, sometimes I think there is alot of voodoo at work 
If you have been shaving/stropping for some time, you will notice that your linen/cotton/fabric strop will start turning dingy from the residue/particles. Not only is it doing its job of cleaning/polishing, but a lot of that grunge is being kept from the more expensive leather. Stropping on almost any relatively smooth surface, from newspaper to cordovan, will help maintain your razor's edge. Most of us over-think this. Just strop your razor and shave, it will be fine.
Once you get over the risk of cutting the strop, or caring if you do, there's really no reason not to enjoy stropping both after and before, imo.
I think some people will tell you that the linen will warm the blade before the leather and helps with the alignment. I have a synthetic material for my linen strop and I will say that it seems to help if I use it from time to time. Maybe every 5-10 shaves I will use it. 20-40 laps seems to keep me away from the balsa strop. I have 1 razor in my rotation which gets used daily, so I am not too worried about cleaning/oxidation. I have never had any rust or oxidation on my razors and they are stored in the bathroom. I do 80 - 100 laps before shaving on leather and that is it. That being said, if you have the time and desire to I would stick with stropping before and after. I don't think it will hurt.
I'm guessing that excessive stropping isn't doing anything so if saving time is a factor just do less laps regardless of what material and what stage you are doing the stropping.
I'm pretty sure that 10 laps on linen cleans as well as 100 laps. If 10 laps on linen "warms and aligns" the blade then 10 laps on leather would do that as well.
I would think that 15 laps after shaving and 15 more before shaving would accomplish most anything that is there to be accomplished.
I'm pretty sure that 10 laps on linen cleans as well as 100 laps. If 10 laps on linen "warms and aligns" the blade then 10 laps on leather would do that as well.
I would think that 15 laps after shaving and 15 more before shaving would accomplish most anything that is there to be accomplished.
I mostly just strop after the shave. 40 laps on leather or so. After leaving the blade out to air-dry, it's dipped in a solution of 4 pts. grain alcohol to 1 pt. mineral oil. This helps to keep oxidation at bay if the blade is to be used in rotation.
I'm very new to all of this, so I can't tell a difference really if I strop or don't strop. Haven't had enough shaves to make a distinction if any. That being said, I strop before and after simply because I enjoy stropping. I'm starting to get the technique down and I just like doing it.
