Stropping a DE Blade

[ShaverAZ]

In the past, I've regarded stropping a used DE blade just so much superflous BS, since they're cheap & I have enough of an inventory to last me the rest of my life.

Then along came a couple of NOS L2 Datecode Gillette Thin Blades. All my shaves are usually with current production Stainless blades with Teflon/Chromium/Platinum/Tungsten/Iridium or whatever trendy coating is currently fashionable in the high tech blade world. Most of the stainless blades give me around 4 or more smooth & close shaves. I toss them usually before they dull enough to draw blood.

The carbon steel Thin blade was distinctly different. The first 2 shaves were smooth & close - easily my best shaves of the year. It was just a touch better than the GSB I had in use for comparison. The 3rd use was above average, yet first pass was very audible & tuggy, yet an acceptable shave sans blood, nicks or weepers. I decided to try stropping the Thin after use, then coating the edge with a light application of razor oil (camellia oil + lanolin). The subsequent 4th shave was amazingly smooth, and much less audible. Todays' shave with stropping (after use yesterday) was also incredibly smooth & close. I tried stropping a used stainless blade (Shark Chrome) to compare, but evidently the stainless is too tough - stropping didn't restore any further usability.

Does anyone else strop any of the carbon steel vintage blades after use? Do you get good results?

 

[NewYorkBuck]

I don't use many carbon steel blades, but I will palm strop some of the NOS blades I love like LB Wilks or Swedes. It does seem to work.

Most blades aren't worth the effort. A few are.

 

[ShaverAZ]

OK, this stropping business is rapidly getting out of hand. My original intent was to try it a couple of times, proclaim it as a waste of effort, then move on to load up a new blade. But that was last week - I'm still using the same Vintage L-2 Gillette Thin this week. Todays' shave was a mirror of yesterday's 16 hour shave - among the top shaves of 2020 for me so far. Left side was the Stropped Thin
Right Side was a GSB, on the 6th shave, but still smooth
I face-lathered with a Frankensoap Stick made from Arko, Williams and a Melon Cucumber vegetable-base hand soap. Still haven't degraded that stropped blade shave.

5 laps each side for the Thin, Blade Oil on the edges, and it's loaded back into a New Long Comb,ready for tomorrow.

I'm awaiting blade failure and almost disappointed that it's exceeded all reasonable expectations up to now.

 

[ajkel64]

I have palm stropped a few newer blades in the past and found that it may have helped a few but did nothing for a lot. I tried palm stropping and stropping on my denim jeans whilst I was wearing them. Really I found it to be a waste of time. That is what I found. Others find the opposite. YMMV.

 

[ShaverAZ]

3 Days later ... 3 more excellent shaves, and the blade has been stropped another 3 times after each use. It still shaves as new & no harshness or irritation. The blade has lasted far beyond my expectations & is staged for tomorrow's shave in a Gillette Milord.

 

[ajkel64]

I am glad that you are having success with the stropping. If it is working for you then keep it up.