Newbie question: Is it possible to over-strop?

[kingfisher]

Just a quick, ignorant question. Would it cause a problem if somebody stropped too many laps (provided they have good technique)?

In other words, instead of doing 40 laps a day, they did 80 laps a day. Would that any negative effect on the razor or the edge?

 

[Jnatcat]

There is no harm in doing lots of laps other than the longer you strop the more chance you have of damaging the edge as you get fatigued running the razor back and fourth, I have taken a freshly hone razor and did 200 laps on Cordovan and shaved and then honed the same razor and do 50 laps on the same strop and the shave was just as good, YMMV..

 

[Badgerstate36]

Like the above person said, its possible that you run the risk of damaging the edge. Really, any time you touch the edge to anything, you run the risk of damaging it and I dont see what you gain by excessive stropping.

 

[kingfisher]

Like the above person said, its possible that you run the risk of damaging the edge. Really, any time you touch the edge to anything, you run the risk of damaging it and I dont see what you gain by excessive stropping.

My strop is a paddle strop I got from Whipped Dog. It can't have much more than 12-14 inches of usable real estate, and it's 2 inches wide. I figure 60 laps on this thing is perhaps equivalent to 30 on a full-size hanging strop. Would that not be approximately true?

 

[Slash McCoy]

Strop as much as you feel like stropping. You probably won't notice any difference after 50 or 60 laps but YMMV.

 

[Badgerstate36]

My strop is a paddle strop I got from Whipped Dog. It can't have much more than 12-14 inches of usable real estate, and it's 2 inches wide. I figure 60 laps on this thing is perhaps equivalent to 30 on a full-size hanging strop. Would that not be approximately true?

That would probably be accurate.

 

[*stefan*]

What about over stropping on linen/canvas?
Anyone done any testing?

Having 2 similar razors and stropping one perhaps 10 laps on linen between every shave and perhaps 80 laps
with the other? And witch will dull first?
Leather stropping as usual after linen.

 

[Steve56]

Properly no, improperly yes.

Cheers, Steve

 

[skimonster]

I've found that its a bit more than just the amount of laps you do, but the feedback you get from the razor on the stop. Sometimes I get the feedback I'm looking for at 60 laps, and sometimes it will take me 100 laps. I think this varies because I might have an extra day's growth before shaving, or beard prep could be a little different. I feel I don't gain much from continuing past that 100 mark though.

 

[Acmemfg]

20-25 on fabric...flax linen or cotton
50-55 on leather..horsehide or cowhide
It all pretty much turns out the same