I apologize if this question has already been asked. Most of the tutorials, people etc say "strop before AND after". Now I currently only strop on leather after drying but my question is: if i'm using the blade everyday do i need to strop before AND after? Wouldn't it be ok to just dry the blade, apply some oil and put it away after?
[Q] Stropping before and after?
- Thread starter Tjh
- Start date
IMO it’s mostly to break up the task of stropping so it doesn’t seem like a chore.
As long as you strop between shaves to maintain your razor’s edge, you could certain do it in one go. I’d do it after shaving, while the metal has some warmth from use; ideally not letting the metal sit unaligned and getting stone cold set that way between uses. Then oil and put away.
As long as you strop between shaves to maintain your razor’s edge, you could certain do it in one go. I’d do it after shaving, while the metal has some warmth from use; ideally not letting the metal sit unaligned and getting stone cold set that way between uses. Then oil and put away.
i strop on the fabric or webbing side of a strop after a shave to ensure the edge is dry, before i oil it and store it.
i strop on the leather side of a strop before i shave to make sure my edge is aligned and as smooth as it can be before a shave.
T
i strop on the leather side of a strop before i shave to make sure my edge is aligned and as smooth as it can be before a shave.
T
I like stropping after if it was going to be done only once daily. Also if it is daily I wouldn't oil the blade. No real reason I just don't. Now no oil and no stropping then storage,that could be bad. I opened up a blade recently and edge was rusted. Must have been my short term memory to have left it like that. I like linen for stropping after. Just thought I'd share on this one. Good luck
Personally, I do a full stropping on linen and leather before each shave. Then after a shave I clean and dry the razor and strop on linen. I do not oil the blade because I usually use one blade and I don't perceive that oiling it provides any benefit.
I've been shaving with a straight for more than three decades since my youth and I've tried different practices for stropping. I've settled on this because I perceive it makes an edge last longer. I'll confess, I don't know why.
There may be a better practice out there and if I learn it and it prolongs an edge I'll use it.
You gotta do what suits you best.
Chris
I've been shaving with a straight for more than three decades since my youth and I've tried different practices for stropping. I've settled on this because I perceive it makes an edge last longer. I'll confess, I don't know why.
There may be a better practice out there and if I learn it and it prolongs an edge I'll use it.
You gotta do what suits you best.
Chris
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I strop on hanging leather before each shave. I strop on pasted balsa after each shave.
Leather before and linen and leather after here. I like the idea than the leather after the shave might leave a film of oil from the leather.
I rarely use linen but I do strop on leather before and after. Usually I do a minute of stropping before I shave and I will do like 10-20 quick passes on leather after just to make sure edge doesn't have anything on it. When I first started I would get black spot of rust every now and then on bevel so I did this to prevent it. If you oil your blade though then only reason I would strop is just to save time later with stropping before
I dry my blade and use linen after the shave, then leather before the next one.
Before...20-25 passes on linen or whatever fabric on hand
Before...approx. 50 passes on leather
After...10-12 passes on the aforementioned fabric
Never use oil. Too messy.
Before...approx. 50 passes on leather
After...10-12 passes on the aforementioned fabric
Never use oil. Too messy.
I don't think it really matters as long as you do it. I strop after I shave and I do a few strokes on linen first to make sure it's dry. Mine isn't even really linen I don't think. It feels more like plastic.
If it's been a while since I've used it, I strop before using as well.
If it's been a while since I've used it, I strop before using as well.
I strop pasted balsa and leather after the shave. I doubt anything will change over night. I'm retired so I don't have anything pressing during the day so time isn't really a consideration.
IMHO I never strop after, I do not remember where I read (maybe dovo manual ) but, it says to never strop after beard and the answer is because it is ideally wait 24 hours for the edge back to the normal position when you after shaving you can break the curved edge. And it is suggested that you shave every day to use two alternating razors.
I respect that, but I do not know if it's true.
After I use the razor I dry with a paper towel and only put mineral oil if I'm not going to use it for more than a month, and wipe the oil if I'm going to use it again (not to foul the strop) .
Have a nice day!
I respect that, but I do not know if it's true.
After I use the razor I dry with a paper towel and only put mineral oil if I'm not going to use it for more than a month, and wipe the oil if I'm going to use it again (not to foul the strop) .
Have a nice day!
The edge doesn’t go “back to normal position” that’s why we strop I thought?
I always strop after a shave so it will be ready in the morning and can't think of a reason not to. I'll give it a few laps before shaving the next morning if I think of it. Besides, the sound of all that steel moving around while I'm trying to sleep keeps me awake.
I never strop after. I rest the blade for 7 days. 'Tis how I've always done it. I have tried other methods but they didn't work for me. Probably I'm biased and an old romantic and so never gave other methods a proper chance. As much as anything it's part of the mistique of the straight razor. The malformed edge reforms like a spring if rested. I'm quite sure it is a load of bunkum. It does however afford me the excuse to have at least 7 shave ready razors in rotation at any time.
