Does it have to be done fast? Or can you take your time if you are new and still achieve the same goal?
Also, can you strop the night before a shave?
Also, can you strop the night before a shave?
Stupid Question about Stropping
- Thread starter Sluggo
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You want to learn how to do it right before you do it fast. So, slow is fine. Let yourself gradually build up speed as you build up muscle memory.
As for stropping the night before, I assume to save time, I think you would be better served by lathering up and then stropping so your beard can soften a bit. According to the latest theory, stropping removes micro-oxidation on the edge. You could probably strop the night before, but I think stropping just before shaving is better.
As for stropping the night before, I assume to save time, I think you would be better served by lathering up and then stropping so your beard can soften a bit. According to the latest theory, stropping removes micro-oxidation on the edge. You could probably strop the night before, but I think stropping just before shaving is better.
I strop before and after the shave. I've done the night before thing, and it seemed ok. Before and after seems to be the best, for me. It really (believe me) doesn't take that long to strop though.
I think what hes asking is Does the speed of stropping effect heat and friction for a better or worse strop?
I don't think so.
I can think of no reason why it would. Ask Mparker if you want an answer as definitive as it gets.
Nah, I don't think it matters as long as you do it well. Sometimes I strop at top speed, others much more slowly. Results seem to be the same (assuming all other things are equal).
Heat? You have to strop really fast and use a lot of pressure to achieve a significant rise in temperature. I have felt the edge several times during stropping but never felt the heat.
There was a test done on this subject about 2 years ago...
They found that yes extremely slow stropping did not give as good of a result...
This is by stroke though, not by the lap, in other words taking 2 plus seconds to go from the bottom to the top of the strop... Speed that you are discussing is by the laps which is determined by the flip...
Just because you flip slow, does not mean you strop slow... I think that makes sense right?????
So a stroke is Zip up the strop, then a and slow accurate flip, then Zip down the strop and a slow accurate flip and repeat, this is fine...
But if you were to do Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppp up the strop, flip ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppp down the strop repeat this would not yield an adequate result....
However inaccurate stropping is even worse, so keep it slow and steady until the speed builds in..
Now after all that, IIRC AFdavis was doing some work, with super light and super slow stropping so maybe he has more info now....
They found that yes extremely slow stropping did not give as good of a result...
This is by stroke though, not by the lap, in other words taking 2 plus seconds to go from the bottom to the top of the strop... Speed that you are discussing is by the laps which is determined by the flip...
Just because you flip slow, does not mean you strop slow... I think that makes sense right?????
So a stroke is Zip up the strop, then a and slow accurate flip, then Zip down the strop and a slow accurate flip and repeat, this is fine...
But if you were to do Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppp up the strop, flip ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppp down the strop repeat this would not yield an adequate result....
However inaccurate stropping is even worse, so keep it slow and steady until the speed builds in..
Now after all that, IIRC AFdavis was doing some work, with super light and super slow stropping so maybe he has more info now....
I strop before and after the shave. I've done the night before thing, and it seemed ok. Before and after seems to be the best, for me. It really (believe me) doesn't take that long to strop though.
Likewise, always before then just a little after to ensure a dry edge.
I also find that placing the razor slow then a fast action stoke is the best of both worlds.
Place the razor on the strop then zip it to the top, flip the razor place it on the leather then zip it to the bottom. You will get much more quality laps this way.
So which is top and which is bottom? In my case the strop is attached to an eye loop screwed into the wall at about the same height I hold the other end so the thing is about level when I use it.
I also think I do it in the reverse order from most people. I start the blade away from me, pull towards, flip and back away again. I think this is simply the first way I saw it done while I was paying attention. If I started the other way I would lose count! I do count. 50 laps on cloth, 75 on leather. So I count one-one, two-two, three-three, etc.. If I had to do that backwards I know I would just confuse myself -- like tapping my foot to the wrong beat of music.
Either way you want to do it
No ... stand with your back against the wall, pull the strop between your legs, bend over, touch your forehead to the handle, make a short invocation in a dead language you don't understand ... and strop! It's simple.
- Thread starter
- #16
I can see SWMBO walking in and saying "What are you doing?!?!"
Me: Straight shaving, duh.
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Take your time and practice your technique, slow and steady...
Slow is always better . That way you decrease the chance of nicking your leather .
Slow also helps keep the razor flat so the leather can do it's job and staighten the edge back up . People in a drag race will tend to foul the edge I would guess . No way to be sure the razor is not totally flat and working properly . Leave the cake batter mixing speeds to the women .
I read some place that you are to strop before you shave . Something about allowing the steel to rest and not to strop after you shave because of some theory . Anyway I strop before I shave with zero issues . Old school barbers do the same . Must be something that is working .
cityjim
Slow also helps keep the razor flat so the leather can do it's job and staighten the edge back up . People in a drag race will tend to foul the edge I would guess . No way to be sure the razor is not totally flat and working properly . Leave the cake batter mixing speeds to the women .
I read some place that you are to strop before you shave . Something about allowing the steel to rest and not to strop after you shave because of some theory . Anyway I strop before I shave with zero issues . Old school barbers do the same . Must be something that is working .
cityjim
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