How's Your Day? Archives

What do you strop with, rolls?

 

My beard grows slow and does not fill in. The whiskers themselves however are very coarse and tough. They are hard on blades.

Could I just strop a blade on any old strip of leather Rolls?

 

I guess I just don't see the point of stropping. Feather are one of the more expensive blades but they still are only about $.35 each from my vendor. That is cheap in my mind so I guess I would rather just load a fresh blade and not take the chance.

 

There is a vid out there somewhere that was made by our own Dave that shows you how to do it. I first saw it on a post over on B.
you use the palm of your hand.

 

Which TOBS cream has a dark blue lettering on the label?

 

Also when stropping straights you're not supposed to lift the steel off the strop and instead just roll it. How would that work w/ a DE.

If stropping a blade on a cheap leather belt bought me one or two more shaves it's worth it.

 

I use my arm.

 

I think there's a couple. Mr. Taylors, St. James and some Eton College tubs (the ones that aren't all blue)

 

Shep and tracy, do you guys have hard water? maybe it's soap/water residue mucking up your blades so quickly.

 

I am in between hard and soft water. I have been to my parents house and they have soft water and the blade life is the same on the feathers.

 

Yep. Very hard and mineral filled AZ water. Wouldn't surprise me at all if it has a negative effect on the blades.

 

You can try swirling the razor in a ammonia solution after you are done, then dunk in alcohol to help it dry faster.
If you got a youngster, baby food jars work great for this.

 

Stropping can even smooth out a fresh blade, Tracy. It is not so mush the cost, for me it is wanting to have the smoothest shave possible every time. Stropping helps attain that goal.

I have seen that video. I do it a bit different though. See below........

This is how I do it:

Pinch the blade between your thumb and index fingers so that the edge runs horizontal to them.

Now, make sure that you are holding the blade far enough back that it will flex against your skin. This will take just a second for you to make the adjustment.

You are going to stick you other arm straight out in front of you, palm up!!

Take you other hand, which has the blade in it, and gently press the blade as flat as you can get it across your forearm, close to your inner elbow.

You will notice the blade flex ever so slightly to conform to the shape of your forearm. That is fine.

Now, gently, with the blade FLAT against your skin, slide it to your wrist. Do that four times. You are now stropping your blade!!

Now turn the blade over and repeat. After you do both sides, rotate the blade and do the same on the other edge.

It may sound crazy, but after doing it a couple times, you will get use to it, and it will just become habit.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you are not 100% clear on how to do this.

 

Nope, that makes sense. Thanks Rolls. I'll give it a go. And thanks for the idea Bong. I'll try that too.

 

I need to clarify one thing.

When sliding the blade down your arm, you still are pinching one side. I remember someone years ago just laid the blade on thier arm and slid it back and forth. That did not work out too well.....................

 

Yes, I figured the downward facing blade needs to curl upwards just a tad to avoid unwanted surgery! :shocked003

 

I wonder if Bunny has strangled any of his house guests yet? Somebody in Louisiana break out your police scanner!

 

Shep, the world is stocked to the ceilings with stupid people though, and I make it a habit to assume that there is just one them listening to me at all times. It cuts down on the lawsuits and stuff.......................:happy102

Of course, I am not saying that any of you are actually stupid, but we all do suffer from an occasional stroke of stupidity. Which when dealing with extremely sharp objects, that can be quite messy.

 

reminds me of a Gilligan's Island episode where Gilligan tells Skipper he can do 15 pushups and 10 situps...all in 1 day!!!

not yet...you still have 2 weeks, remember!

CHOP SUEY!!!!!

 

Whew, sorry guys work got in the way again.