First shave - to strop or not to strop?

[zje4]

I've seen some advice that says if you receive a shave-ready razor and you're a beginner, to avoid ruining a good edge you should not strop before the first shave - just clean the oil off and go. That way you'll have an idea of what a good edge feels like. However, others recommend that you should always strop. I have a feeling that I know where the majority lies, but now I'm just curious.

EDIT - Can a mod remove the end date from the poll? I thought I set it to 0 for indefinitely, but maybe I didn't. I can't figure out how to edit the poll either...

 

[buca3152]

IMO a blade needs a good stropping after honing and I always do on webbing and leather on what I send out. Im not sure what everyone else does though. I think stropping can definitely be done with care after watching some videos and practicing with a dull butter knife to see that you can manage the "flip" correctly.

 

[Attila]

If you get the blade from a recognized professional who has already honed (and stropped) it for you. You should absolutely not strop it before first use. Only remove any oil carefully with a tissue and then shave. Bad stropping technique can quickly degrade an edge. No need to risk it if it is purchased from a pro that already took care of it.