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The pre- and post-shave stropping question...

I know, I know...its been asked a million times. And yet there seems to be no consensus on what is the appropriate number of laps to strop a razor pre and post shave. And I see all kinds of combinations...leather, linen, pasted strops, balsa strops, palms, newspaper, old jeans etc. The sky is the limit. And as for the number of each to lap...roll the dice and see what comes up. It is the ultimate YMMV question...

But my question this time is more along the lines of what is a reasonable pre and post stropping routine....or perhaps more specifically what is the minimum stropping routine to get a nice edge. For me, I do 50 laps on leather pre and 10 laps on linen post. I get great shaves. I could probably cut the number down even further but I am curious if there are any ideas on what is the reasonable minimum for stropping.

What are your thoughts?
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I'm about the same as you; pre is 50 to 60 on a clean leather, post is 6 to 10 on a clean chamois strop. I also do 50 on 0.1um diamond pasted hanging balsa strop between each shave so that I never have to hone my SR's again.
 
I'm about the same as you; pre is 50 to 60 on a clean leather, post is 6 to 10 on a clean chamois strop. I also do 50 on 0.1um diamond pasted hanging balsa strop between each shave so that I never have to hone my SR's again.
I was wondering how often is too often for pasted stropping.
 
20 linen 50 leather before and after. Sometime I’m lazy and skip the leather after, or sometimes I feel like more laps and do 100 before a shave. There’s no set number, do it however you feel like at the time.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I was wondering how often is too often for pasted stropping.
I don't use leather/linen pasted strops as I don't want to "round" my edges. The only pasted things I use are diamond pasted balsa strops. They have effectively no "give" in them so do not "round" my edges.
 
I don't use leather/linen pasted strops as I don't want to "round" my edges. The only pasted things I use are diamond pasted balsa strops. They have effectively no "give" in them so do not "round" my edges.
If someone laid their pasted linen strop on a table top, would that give the same effect as balsa?
 
I do 50 laps on leather pre and 10 laps on linen post.
Roughly the same for me, but I divide it up to prolong the stropping fun. 15 linen (actually cotton) and 30 leather post shave. Put the razor away. When it comes out for the next shave it gets another 30 on leather pre-shave. So that's 15 on linen and 60 total on leather between shaves.

I was wondering how often is too often for pasted stropping.
Never pasted a cloth or leather strop. Never will.

For the diamond pasted balsa the consensus is around 60 on 0.1μ after every shave. "Regular" stropping on leather pre-shave.
 

jackgoldman123

Boring and predictable
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I was wondering how often is too often for pasted stropping.
You can do a few laps every week or two if you feel inclined but if the edge doesn’t feel like it needs it, you’re probably okay. I use pasted linen from time to time and haven’t had any issues with edge rolling. Just pay attention to what you’re doing and don’t use pressure and you’ll be okay.
 
I'm about the same as you; pre is 50 to 60 on a clean leather, post is 6 to 10 on a clean chamois strop. I also do 50 on 0.1um diamond pasted hanging balsa strop between each shave so that I never have to hone my SR's again.
Never hone again, what is the fun in that:)
 
If someone laid their pasted linen strop on a table top, would that give the same effect as balsa?

If you're referring to the pasted linen strop being on the flat table to help reduce the risk of rolling the edge, then yes...kinda. If you're referring to the pasted linen strop providing the same level of sharpening as the 3 balsa strop method using different diamond pastes (essentially honing it each time), then no.

The thing about table tops is they're rarely flat, so placing your linen or cotton strop on it, which may or may not flex within that unevenness, could actually potentially introduce other issues to your blade unless you've lapped your table. ;)
 
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