I strop with fabric and leather before every shave.
After each shave I’ll clean the blade and do a couple passes on the fabric and leather again just to make sure the blade is clean and dry on the edge.
Same here Basil. I think it's important to run your blade on a strop after shaving to make sure the edge is really dry. I do linen/leather post shave. Then 10-15 on leather right before shaving as the soap is softening the whiskers.
Fascinating film about the old Sheffield hand-work processes. Thanks for sharing. Interesting, too, that the narration was added AFTER Sheffield had stopped producing razors. The second film, of the old geezer lathering from a bar of soap was priceless! I wonder where his collection of 20-odd razors is to-day.I've been following this man's practice since I watched the video. You can fast forward to 13 minutes.
Great video. Thanks for digging that up and posting.I've been following this man's practice since I watched the video. You can fast forward to 13 minutes.
Agree. All those things you mentioned can be seen using a metallurgical scope and high magnification.
Stropping will change the edge, you can see it. Tine teeth are gone. They almost melt aways and you end up with a nice straight edge. I am talking real 1000x magnification. Palm stropping will remove the tiny ones as well.
One thing I have observed, edge is much toothier coming off a coticule rather than a jnat. I think it has to do with the finishing on slurry vs water. Don't know, just a speculation. If your edge is toothier than just little that's where the linen kicks in. That thing really works. Maybe that's why the recommendation of linen after coticule.
Same with water. You can see tiny amount on the edge even though the razor was dried with a towel. After stropping it's all gone.
Stropping works. Period.
After a blade is honed do you just strop the blade before each use? Newb question.
Thank you for the post.
You are welcome.
Also wanted to add. Great video. Always nice to see an old-timer shave.
He kind of reminds me my father. Shaved all his life with a DE. I was telling him about beard prep and all that stuff.
He just looked at me and said, I don't have time for all this BS. I have to shave and go, I have things to do.