Stropping a DE razor blade with leather - I'm a believer

[Borderboss]

I started another thread a while back about being tired of getting hacked up with the first shave of a new blade, with the irritation and the weepers. It only happens on the first shave of the blade. It was suggested that I strop the blade, so I've been playing with that. As a point of reference, I use two kinds of blades: Gillette 7 O'Clock Green (Russia) and Personna Labs (USA).

I first tried a couple of strops with a stone, but that was too harsh on the blade. It made the first use better, but it felt like I was shaving with a piece of broken glass.

I then tried using cork, as this seems to be advocated a lot. Mantic59 even did a video on it recently. I found it to be pretty much useless. No change whatsoever.

Then I decided to do what the straight razor guys do, and that's strop with leather. I have a piece of leather that is a rougher suede on one side and smooth on the other. I give each of the four edge sides two strops with the suede side and then two strops with the smooth side.

Eureka! A perfectly smooth shave the first time out. It's amazing the difference in the feel. On top of it, I've gotten BBS shaves regularly after starting this. It's really amazing.

So I'm a believer. Strop a blade with leather before the first use.

 

[BigJ]

If if works then go for it!!

 

[Robini]

Makes sense. Steel stopped on leather should yield the same result, straight or DE/SE.

 

[razorhead63]

Yeah I strop too.
But on the palm
4 times on each edge.
I believe it works too!

 

[ajkel64]

I have never stropped a new blade, I tried palm stropping a used blade but I found that some blades responded to the stropping and others didn’t so I stopped doing it. If it works for you then keep doing it.