Stropping on the hand, or?

[Slivovitz]

I searched for previous threads on how to hand strop. I found one that linked to this you tube video. So that answered my question on the how to part.

Does anyone use anything else to strop their blades? The smooth side of an old belt, for example? Any other ideas? My hands are steady enough, but I have moments of clumsiness.

 

[82R100]

I strop SE blades on my hand and find it pretty fool-proof. I can do the same with DE's but the risk is probably 10-fold owing to the flimsiness of the blade and the need to swap edges.

I think you'll find that the the risk of cutting yourself has little to do with the surface you're stropping on and everything to do with acquiring and gripping the blade.

- Chris

 

[ateace]

I've been hand stropping for a while, now. At first, I was leery of handling a loose DE blade, but I've gotten over that. While I can't offer conclusive proof that it works, it's still worth the effort to me, even if it's only a slight improvement.

 

[GoldenMonkey]

I do ten strops per edge, flip it, and do ten more before and after every shave. Can't PROVE it, but it does seem to work. I don't know...I'm just a creature of ritual and habit.

 

[cfriend]

If I hand strop, it's only one or two per edge, per side.

 

[rm71]

I don't strop any of my blades, but as aside note, the person in the video is B&B's very own Dave (DIrving79).

 

[cvixx]

Seems to be a set-up for a horror flick...'as I was stropping my DE blade on my hand, I sneezed and they now call me Stumpy'!

There are plenty of good mechanical stroppers on the Bay, I have a krissKross and it takes the worry out of stropping, as least for me. Other makes also inhabit the internet...might be an easier way to go!

 

[dax702]

What youtube video is this as I don't know what stropping the blade means?

 

[82R100]

Link

 

[MrGuy]

Slivovitz linked the vid in the OP, or you can click here. I'm a huge fan of stropping my SE blades. In fact, when I first open a new Ted Pella blade, the first strop or two on each side has a noticeably "rougher" feel on the hand then the rest of the strops. That, and if I don't strop a new blade, the shave quality suffers. Seems like something good is going on there.

EDIT: A little slow in the link, sorry about that.

 

[dax702]

I watched the video; does this really have any effect on the blade? If so, why and how? Skin isn't hard enough to "sharpen" the blade... So are you just trying to remove any residual soap/cream.. or?

 

[MrGuy]

Hand stropping is just that, stropping. It won't sharpen a blade, but it will re-align the very edge of the blade where your whiskers knock little tiny (well, whisker sized) dents in the blade. The Pella blades I mentioned are coated with PTFE, I think the first stropping removes excess PTFE from the edge, creating a smoother shave. Subsequent stroppings both realign, and clean and dry the edge. I think it works to keep the blade usable longer, some guys don't notice the difference. Trying it for yourself is the only way to know if it will work for you.

 

[dax702]

got it, thanks

 

[AFG]

I do it when using the Iridiums. First shave they seem rough to me but after handstopping they are quite smooth. I believe its worth while doing.

 

[WhosYerBob]

I was dubious at first, but it really seems to work. I don't know that I get any *more* shaves, but they certainly are more comfortable when I hand strop.

 

[bman40]

If I hand strop, it's only one or two per edge, per side.

+1 - I do three per edge and flip it and repeat.

Barry

 

[honed]

2-3 times per side before first shave if I'm using a "rough" blade.
For me that is:
Feather
Iridiums
Lords

That way I don't have to strop away any production line roughness on my face, instead I do it on my palm.

Just look at reviews, some blades generally performs best second or third shave.
These definitely benefits from pre-shave hand stropping.

I've never bothered with between shave stropping though.

 

[Mr-Scruffy]

I can extend my Derbies from 3 days to 4 days. My Super Iridiums can go from 4 days to 6 days or more with hand stropping.

 

[memoryleak]

Without macrophotography before and after picures, I call shenanigans.
This turns the manly art of shaving into obsessive metrosexual behavior.
Don't know about you but my life is complex enough without wasting time over a sliver of steel that costs what a quarter?. If you do have that much time on your hands, come over and shovel my carport or mow my lawn, season dependent. Oh, and don't tell them in the ER how you laid open your forearm.

 

[Mr. O]

Without macrophotography before and after picures, I call shenanigans.
This turns the manly art of shaving into obsessive metrosexual behavior.
Don't know about you but my life is complex enough without wasting time over a sliver of steel that costs what a quarter?. If you do have that much time on your hands, come over and shovel my carport or mow my lawn, season dependent. Oh, and don't tell them in the ER how you laid open your forearm.

If you're doing it right you won't "lay open your forearm." Also, if shaving was about arriving at the end of a shave in the shortest amount of time possible this forum would be called Plastic & Blade.

Wet shaving with SE, DE and straights isn't a chore; its a way of life.