Just was curious. I heard about hand stropping SE blades but wanted to see the consensus for DE blade hand stropping.
Kirk
Kirk
Who hand strops DE blades?
- Thread starter BBS Kirk
- Start date
Yep. I use my thumbs as I rinse the blade. Maybe it messes with the edge, but I can't imagine the skin of my fingers doing any more damage than shaving. I just do it to remove any soap and whiskers limbs.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
This is worse than running with scissors 
I used to do it, when I was young and poor. Blades were not so readily available and cheap on the internet.
I would hand strop them after a couple shaves to get another few shaves out of them. I don't do it anymore though, now I have a vast selection of blades and more than I'll ever need.
I would hand strop them after a couple shaves to get another few shaves out of them. I don't do it anymore though, now I have a vast selection of blades and more than I'll ever need.
There were many stropping devices for disposable single and double-edged blades on the market in the first half of the 20th century, even honing devices.
Back then, most blades were carbon steel and thicker/stiffer than modern blades, with a longer, more graduated grind, so they could take a bit of stropping (even careful honing) and benefit from it.
Even the old devices only succeeded because they mechanised the process, removing human error by maintaining an exact set-angle throughout the process.
To-day, the computerised micro-edge of ultra-thin DE blades are impossible to hone, and nigh impossible to strop without ruining the edge. The exceptions are modern blades made retro-thick with a macro-edge, such as Feather and KAI's Auto-strop replacement blades.
So, hand stropping most modern DE blades is essentially a fruitless endeavour.
Back then, most blades were carbon steel and thicker/stiffer than modern blades, with a longer, more graduated grind, so they could take a bit of stropping (even careful honing) and benefit from it.
Even the old devices only succeeded because they mechanised the process, removing human error by maintaining an exact set-angle throughout the process.
To-day, the computerised micro-edge of ultra-thin DE blades are impossible to hone, and nigh impossible to strop without ruining the edge. The exceptions are modern blades made retro-thick with a macro-edge, such as Feather and KAI's Auto-strop replacement blades.
So, hand stropping most modern DE blades is essentially a fruitless endeavour.
Do it out of habit, when first removing a brand new blade out of its sleeve.
Then run it through a cork a few times, spray isopropyl alcohol, rinse, use.
Then run it through a cork a few times, spray isopropyl alcohol, rinse, use.
locally, it's 7 blades for $3. That's a bit under 50 cents a blade. Not enough in a blade to worry about it.
I've tried stropping a couple of DE and GEM style blades and they became duller than before. I'm not sure if I did it wrong or it simply doesn't work for me, but based on my tests and observations, blade stropping doesn't work and I would't recommended it.
In fact, i've pretty much done every known way to extend the life of a DE/SE blades and they either don't work or I couldn't notice any difference at all. All I do after each shave is to dry the blade gently on a soft towel and then place it on a magnet for the next shave. I'm not sure if that helps the blade at all, but I don't like leaving a wet blade inside my razors.
As always - YMMV!
In fact, i've pretty much done every known way to extend the life of a DE/SE blades and they either don't work or I couldn't notice any difference at all. All I do after each shave is to dry the blade gently on a soft towel and then place it on a magnet for the next shave. I'm not sure if that helps the blade at all, but I don't like leaving a wet blade inside my razors.
As always - YMMV!
I have tried it in the past. I really didn’t notice much difference so I stopped doing it. Plus I was worried about a mishap and then a blood bath.
Magnet? I'm curious, what does it supposed to do for a blade?
+1 After a DE shave, I usually just take apart the 3 piece DE, spray the razor and blade with alcohol to remove soap scum and water deposits, wipe the razor down with the bath towel, put the blade on a square of toilet paper and fold the square over to pat the blade dry. Then put it all back together for the next shave.
I give it a few strops on a towel after each shave. I'm not even sure why. I think there is more value in flipping the blade over every 10 shaves or so.
Some blades have numbers 1-4 on them and some don't. I wish they all did, it makes it easy to keep track of flipping the blade.
Just rinse it and flip it after every shave and ye don't have to think about it.
Disassembling it every day is bad for the thread life. That's how I rationalize it anyway.
A worthy consideration, especially as disposable blades are too cheap to really merit pampering anyway.
The thread wear thesis is more rationalization than truth. In point of fact, was dissembling about disassembling.
If I remove the blade for storage, I give it a very hot rinse and set it on a magnetic stalk with both edges touching nothing but air. I avoid touching the edges with my fingers.
Storage rack/use counter designed and 3D printed by a fellow B&Ber:
Gem SE blades I rinse, then 'forearm strop' a few laps for drying, before storing in the rack.
Vintage AutoStrop blades I strop. (Duh!)
I have tried hand honing modern DE blades on special purpose vintage DE hones. No luck. I have yet to try these hones on vintage carbon DE blades.
Storage rack/use counter designed and 3D printed by a fellow B&Ber:
Gem SE blades I rinse, then 'forearm strop' a few laps for drying, before storing in the rack.
Vintage AutoStrop blades I strop. (Duh!)
I have tried hand honing modern DE blades on special purpose vintage DE hones. No luck. I have yet to try these hones on vintage carbon DE blades.
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