Pre-shave stropping

[cogar460]

Hi All,
If a razor has been properly cleaned and stropped after the previous shave, is it really necessary to re-strop before the next shave? The blade has not been used or touched by anything in the interim.
I get that for some its a pleasant part of the ritual but does it really do anything?

Thanks,
Alan NYC

 

[Tanuki]

After a shave, I just do a few (less than 10) laps on cotton to dry the edge. Then I strop before, so my opinion doesn't count.

I would say, just try it both ways and see what works for you. I think @rbscebu has tested how many shaves he can get without stropping at all.

 

[mr_houston]

It might not be necessary if you are using the same razor every day or so. I don’t use the same straight very often (shave with DEs often) so I always strop before a shave.

 

[AZBronco]

I tend to agree with the original post. If I strop well after my last shave, I don’t feel a need to strop again and I don’t find the shaves any less comfortable.

 

[rbscebu]

@cogar460, most metals oxidize as soon as they come into contact with air. Some oxides form a protective layer on the metal that reduces or prevents further oxidisation, e.g., aluminum, chromium, stainless steel. Others do not, e.g., carbon steel.

Most oxidizes tend to dull an edge. Stropping does at least two things; removes oxidizes from the bevele/edge and realigns micro deformaties in the edge. Not stroppping before a shave leaves oxidizes on the edge that have developed since the last stroppping. For some, this is a concern and for others it is not a concern. So it boils down to whatever you prefer.

Be that as it may and not withstanding the forgoing, I and one or two others here have shaved with a SR for between about 15 to a little over 20 shaves with no stropping or any other maintenance in-between shaves until we found that the edge was exhibiting noticable deterioration.

Personally I enjoy stroppping. It helps put me into the right mindset to concentrate on my SR shave, so I strop about 60 to 80 laps on clean leather before each shave. After each shave, the blade gets 4 to 6 very light laps on a clean denim strop to clean and dry the edge. After that, 50 laps on a 0.1um diamond pasted hanging balsa strop then oiled and put away. Baring physical damage, my SR's only touch whetstones once - when the edge is initially being set and polished. After that, they never need to be refreshed again.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

I've taken to stropping after weekly pasted balsa, with the next use anywhere from a day to two weeks later, without stropping before the shave. I've seen no issues thus far. Of course, YMMV.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I strop on the pasted balsa after every shave. I strop on clean hanging leather before every shave. I think it is better to strop before the shave rather than rely on the previous day's stropping. I think it is important. Some will disagree. Do it like you feel it.

 

[DrStrange]

@cogar460, most metals oxidize as soon as they come into contact with air. Some oxides form a protective layer on the metal that reduces or prevents further oxidisation, e.g., aluminum, chromium, stainless steel. Others do not, e.g., carbon steel.

Most oxidizes tend to dull an edge. Stropping does at least two things; removes oxidizes from the bevele/edge and realigns micro deformaties in the edge. Not stroppping before a shave leaves oxidizes on the edge that have developed since the last stroppping. For some, this is a concern and for others it is not a concern. So it boils down to whatever you prefer.

Be that as it may and not withstanding the forgoing, I and one or two others here have shaved with a SR for between about 15 to a little over 20 shaves with no stropping or any other maintenance in-between shaves until we found that the edge was exhibiting noticable deterioration.

Personally I enjoy stroppping. It helps put me into the right mindset to concentrate on my SR shave, so I strop about 60 to 80 laps on clean leather before each shave. After each shave, the blade gets 4 to 6 very light laps on a clean denim strop to clean and dry the edge. After that, 50 laps on a 0.1um diamond pasted hanging balsa strop then oiled and put away. Baring physical damage, my SR's only touch whetstones once - when the edge is initially being set and polished. After that, they never need to be refreshed again.

I crox strop after and leather strop before.
My reasoning on this issue is about the same as yours.

 

[ajduplessis]

IMO you cant over-strop a razor with good technique, so more is better for razor and muscle memory. It takes less than a minute to do 60 laps...

 

[alla2465]

Stropping is important to do prior to every shave, it is important. Try to not strop for a few shaves, you will see why it makes a big difference..
I ususally do 20 laps on the fabric side and 40-60 laps on the leather prior to every shave. 10 laps on a fabric post shave.
That's what works for me, you gotta play around with lap counts and see what works for you.

 

[rbscebu]

Stropping is important to do prior to every shave, it is important. Try to not strop for a few shaves, you will see why it makes a big difference..
I ususally do 20 laps on the fabric side and 40-60 laps on the leather prior to every shave. 10 laps on a fabric post shave.
That's what works for me, you gotta play around with lap counts and see what works for you.

I got about 20 two-pass shaves from one of my SR's without any stroppping before I noticed deterioration in my daily shaves. A few others have had similar experiences.

 

[alla2465]

I got about 20 two-pass shaves from one of my SR's without any stroppping before I noticed deterioration in my daily shaves. A few others have had similar experiences.

Well, can't say I've had the same experience, I noticed deterioation after one, sometimes if I stropped the day before my shave I would notice it too, so I always strop just before my shave. YMMV

 

[PintoPlain]

I tend to strop both before and after shaving. Usually about 30 odd laps before a shave and 20 or so after. For me the initial stropping is part of the "zen" of using a proper razor, focusing the mind on the task at hand. The post shave strop is just habit I think.

 

[rbscebu]

Well, can't say I've had the same experience, I noticed deterioation after one, sometimes if I stropped the day before my shave I would notice it too, so I always strop just before my shave. YMMV

I too always strop before each of my shaves. I find it part of the Zen experience. Maybe your SR's are of a softer steel and/or have a shallower bevel angle than the ones I tested with stroppless shaving.

 

[xmacro]

Sometimes I strop right after a shave, about 50 laps; sometimes I don't and just strop before the shave next time. Can't really see it making any difference however you do it

 

[Basil]

I do a couple laps after the shave on fabric to make sure the blade is dry. I always strop before a shave though. It’s just something to do while waiting for the brush to soak.

 

[alla2465]

I too always strop before each of my shaves. I find it part of the Zen experience. Maybe your SR's are of a softer steel and/or have a shallower bevel angle than the ones I tested with stroppless shaving.

I mostly use older Sheffields, so I think you are right.