Can I start using a straight razor without a strop?
- Thread starter siluette
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You need to strop, but you can strop on newspaper in a pinch like this.
Newspaper strop question.
My shave ready GD66 should be here tomorrow, and I don't think I will be able hold off on using it until I get a real leather strop in about 2 weeks. Would it be okay if I just used a newspaper strop (properly folded, around a towel bar, etc.) for these next couple of weeks? Also any advice you...
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Seraphim posted a video in this thread.
Never tried a newspaper strop.
I have tried shaving without stropping. Not intentionally; I was having a bad day, and just forgot. The edge was very uncomfortable on the skin.
I have tried shaving without stropping. Not intentionally; I was having a bad day, and just forgot. The edge was very uncomfortable on the skin.
If you are willing to spend a couple bucks, and have an old pair of jeans, you can make a pretty cheap strop that'll get you by.
I made this from a flat piece of MDF, old jeans, staples and some chromium oxide, available in a small stick from almost any hardware store.
Granted, you're going to change the edge slightly by adding the CrOx, but it will definitely help remove the burr and clean the edge up. You could forgo the CrOx, and the denim alone will help clean the edge up.
If you don't have a piece of MDF, you can also just lay some jeans on a flat, dry sharpening stone, and strop carefully, keeping the the angle consistent.
If you don't have old jeans, I just hope you have pants.
I made this from a flat piece of MDF, old jeans, staples and some chromium oxide, available in a small stick from almost any hardware store.
Granted, you're going to change the edge slightly by adding the CrOx, but it will definitely help remove the burr and clean the edge up. You could forgo the CrOx, and the denim alone will help clean the edge up.
If you don't have a piece of MDF, you can also just lay some jeans on a flat, dry sharpening stone, and strop carefully, keeping the the angle consistent.
If you don't have old jeans, I just hope you have pants.
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In everything I've seen written about using a SR, you strop before, not after shaving. Of course, stropping after shaving is also stropping before the next shave, but the one time I had a barber shave me (I was the "dummy" for a friend's shaving test.) he used the strop before the shave. Crede experto.
The heel of your hand can be used as well. Just go easy if you arent used to doing it.
Yes, you want to strop, both before and after shaving.
Strop before shaving to straighten the edge and put a final polish on the bevel.
Strop after shaving on linen, to remove/clean the blade of soap, blood, skin, water and oxidation/rust. The edge will begin to rust immediately after shaving, the is very thin steel.
You want to strop on linen to clean and dry the bevel and edge, and importantly to prevent smearing all that smutch on what should be, your pristine leather strop.
You can strop on leather after the linen, post shaving to straighten the bevel and edge.
Stropping is way, way underrated. It can take a while to perfect your stropping technique, (get it to a point where you are continuously improving the edge with each lap.
As said you can strop on newspaper by folding the paper into a strip and looping over a towel bar or by stropping on your palm. Both methods are surprisingly very effective. But a hanging strop for most folks may be safer. Stropping does require all your attention to prevent nicking your strop. If you palm strop, you will focus your attention…
I often palm strop on my hand from the wrist to the end of my pinky, about 5 inches, more that enough milage to improve an edge in about 10 laps.
No, really it is not all that dangerous, just pay attention, stop, then flip, keep the spine on your hand and watch your pressure, all key advice, when stropping on linen and leather.
Folks will advise you to buy a cheap strop, as you will likely cut your strop. While you may cut your strop, a quality strop is as little as about $50, (Tony Miller, Heirloom Strops). But do buy a quality strop, even a nicked quality strop will improve a shaving edge. Tony sells replacement linen and leather for his strops.
Proper stropping on a clean stop can keep you shaving for a long time.
Strop before shaving to straighten the edge and put a final polish on the bevel.
Strop after shaving on linen, to remove/clean the blade of soap, blood, skin, water and oxidation/rust. The edge will begin to rust immediately after shaving, the is very thin steel.
You want to strop on linen to clean and dry the bevel and edge, and importantly to prevent smearing all that smutch on what should be, your pristine leather strop.
You can strop on leather after the linen, post shaving to straighten the bevel and edge.
Stropping is way, way underrated. It can take a while to perfect your stropping technique, (get it to a point where you are continuously improving the edge with each lap.
As said you can strop on newspaper by folding the paper into a strip and looping over a towel bar or by stropping on your palm. Both methods are surprisingly very effective. But a hanging strop for most folks may be safer. Stropping does require all your attention to prevent nicking your strop. If you palm strop, you will focus your attention…
I often palm strop on my hand from the wrist to the end of my pinky, about 5 inches, more that enough milage to improve an edge in about 10 laps.
No, really it is not all that dangerous, just pay attention, stop, then flip, keep the spine on your hand and watch your pressure, all key advice, when stropping on linen and leather.
Folks will advise you to buy a cheap strop, as you will likely cut your strop. While you may cut your strop, a quality strop is as little as about $50, (Tony Miller, Heirloom Strops). But do buy a quality strop, even a nicked quality strop will improve a shaving edge. Tony sells replacement linen and leather for his strops.
Proper stropping on a clean stop can keep you shaving for a long time.
I have a really nice strop and with time I've been stropping more and more with the heel of my hand. Usually I take a dump before shaving and I usually strop then and there, saves me time.
That would explain all the crappy shaves.
You could also try palm-stropping.
It sounds scary
, but it is completely safe.
There are some videos on YouTube, but when beginning don’t try to emulate the speed that some of the videos show. Nice and easy does it…
B.
It sounds scary
, but it is completely safe.There are some videos on YouTube, but when beginning don’t try to emulate the speed that some of the videos show. Nice and easy does it…
B.
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I will just have one shave and the its been stropped and honed just before they shipped it to me. I have asked the same question to the place I got it and they said its been already stropped so you can shave but clean the edge, I will shave tomorrow and just going to clean the edge with a cotton pad. I have order a Herold Solingen strop for 50 euro but I realized now that it only has russian leather and not linen side. I wanted it because its big strop so I dont have to make the X pattern.
Hey you might be on to something
That might be the reason I like really strong scented shaving soaps, clears out the nostrils haha
The X pattern is good and correct technique. My strop is 3” wide, but I still do the X on it.
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