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Stropping immediately after shaving

I've heard/read in a couple of places that one shouldn't strop a razor immediately after shaving but let the blade rest for 24 hours before stropping. Others have mentioned stropping during the shave process after a couple of passes. I'm trying to sort fact from fiction and wondering if anyone can enlighten me with (pseudo)scientific evidence on this.
 
Strop away. The old barbers would often use the same razor all day, stropping between customers.

There have been claims in the past (with some supporting modern experience) that resting the razor for a day or two between shaves lets you go for multiple shaves without stropping. Somehow this idea that you *could* rest your razor beneficially without stropping has mistakenly morphed into the injunction that you *should* rest your razor without stropping.
 
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After shaving I always give the blade a few strokes on the canvas followed by a few on the leather. It dries out the blade.
Ken.
 
someone with chime in about a fin re-alligning itself or something, but I really cant see the harm in stropping
 
someone with chime in about a fin re-alligning itself or something, but I really cant see the harm in stropping

Photos of razor edges taken with scanning electron microscopes indicate that there is no "fin" on a razor to re-align. However, an alternate theory of resting is that the extra time allows the blade to rust a little more, and that this can result in a sharper edge. The few times I've tried this it simply resulted in a phenomonally dull edge, though it's possible that such an edge requires a different shaving technique - I've heard some guys use a sawing motion with the blade, and that might work better with the jagged edges produced by this controlled rusting. However, I'm not aware that this theory has ever been verified under an electron microscope, and since I'm not terribly enthused about shaving with a rusty edge I think I'll keep on stropping every day before and after the shave.
 
I "slide" a little during only one pass and only cos I can't get my hand totally vertical- Ear to mouth on my left side, trying to use the whole of the blade. It was almost like a slant this morning, but then I also accidentally slid "in" while going ATG from extreme left hand lower neck to base of jaw/cheek. It didn't feel like something I'll be doing again intentionally.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Photos of razor edges taken with scanning electron microscopes indicate that there is no "fin" on a razor to re-align. However, an alternate theory of resting is that the extra time allows the blade to rust a little more, and that this can result in a sharper edge. The few times I've tried this it simply resulted in a phenomonally dull edge, though it's possible that such an edge requires a different shaving technique - I've heard some guys use a sawing motion with the blade, and that might work better with the jagged edges produced by this controlled rusting. However, I'm not aware that this theory has ever been verified under an electron microscope, and since I'm not terribly enthused about shaving with a rusty edge I think I'll keep on stropping every day before and after the shave.

:scared::scared::crying::crying:

The thought of sawing across my face with a rusty razor ...


:scared::scared::scared::scared:
 
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