So I Asked My Barber What He Learned About Stropping in Barber School.....

[duke762]

Got a new barber about a year ago and noticed the Clydesdale 129A strop dragging along the dirty floor. For decoration only I might add. It's bothered me to no end being a truly wonderful strop being neglected and abused that way. So I decided to inquire what he learned in barber school about stropping. I got a lot more information about the whole wet shaving process than I really wanted and a lot of it was laughable at best.

He went to school in the late 70's so I wondered if stropping was even covered that late in the game. He said yes it was so I started out asking what he was taught about the use of the linen component. The reply was only after honing for initial burr removal. He then showed me how he conditions his Clydesdale strop by mopping the oils off of his forehead with it. I hope he didn't notice me turning colors. I tried to keep my best poker face as he told me straights and all other razor blades should only be rinsed in cool water to avoid softening the steel and be sure to let them rest for 72 hours until the steel re-hardens. I acted the attentive and well behaved student...it paid off in the end.

Because in the end he redeemed himself and pulled out a couple boxes of razors he had stashed away. Hmmm, Henckles was well represented, frame back Swede, a W&b that could be saved. I begged him to sell me a couple and asked if he took plastic. I got a yes to both. He claims no knowledge of value and mine is limited so I will play the honorable guy and research and pay market value for the ones I want but my morals are being challenged by a Friodor I saw in the lot. I never dreamed...........

 

[ScottChapin]

Interesting about the burrs. My barber never told me about the linen. I always figured it wasn’t necessary, though I use my linen daily.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[duke762]

I've always hated the feel of linen, necessary or not. His claim was that the zippiness of the linen helped remove any edge burrs or foils left from honing. I'd say definitely maybe.

I do like the idea of linen before stropping just for the utility of cleaning the edge if nothing else so linen after honing does make sense to me. I think the linen info was the only correct or useful info I got from him.

 

[ScottChapin]

I've always hated the feel of linen, necessary or not. His claim was that the zippiness of the linen helped remove any edge burrs or foils left from honing. I'd say definitely maybe.

I do like the idea of linen before stropping just for the utility of cleaning the edge if nothing else so linen after honing does make sense to me. I think the linen info was the only correct or useful info I got from him.

Using linen with CrO₂ makes sense too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[apriliamille]

mopping oils off his forehead. I recall some youtube video of that older guy on route 66 (the angel? i cant remember what his nickname was/is). he used his arm to rub on the strop before he ran the razor across it

 

[Rontu]

Using oils from your nose/face is something that I came across often when I began straight razor shaving. Especially for a brand new strop, to condition it a bit without drastically changing the characteristics of the strop by adding leather conditioner. Also warming up the strop with the palm of your hands. Is there truth to it? I don't know. But it can't hurt.

I don't really want to get shaven by a guy whose strop is covered in his body oils/sweat, though. As for canvas/denim/linen, I do notice a difference in the edge after having used it. But I've never put an edge to a microscope to see the effects of using it versus no using it.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Interesting story. My barber in France uses a 3/8 straight razor to cut my hair. Before starting out, he will do a handful of passes with the razor on a severely slackened small Solingen loom strop caked up with black paste.

 

[duke762]

My barber in France uses a 3/8 straight razor to cut my hair.

My barber showed a dozen or so of the 3/8 straights. Almost got one just for kicks. They called that the Roffler method here.

 

[Tony Miller]

Remember that "linen" is a very generic term. On most strops today the "linen" component is typically cotton, polyester and sometimes hemp, seldom real flax linen.

I don't suggest CrOx on a daily use strop, nor or real flax linen. Real linen, from flax is already slightly abrasive and it would be a waste of that abrasive characteristic to apply a different abrasive on top of it. I would stick to cotton or poly for a pasted cloth strop.

On the cloth components, different weaves give different amounts of "zippiness". herringbone weaves tend to be quite quite, regular weave a bit noiser. I have some old cotton webbing here that has a horizontal, almost ladder type weave that sounds like tightening a zip tie or running in corduroy pants if you try stropping on it

 

[Willem-Jan]

cool story!