I'm having a lot of problems using my new strop! No matter what direction I drag the razor, it cuts into the strop and little pieces of leather get stuck in the cartridge. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? Here's what I do:
Im pretty sure Strops are used for Straights and the occasional DE (Double Edge) blade if you are so inclined...but Cartridge?
Always strop with a back stroke. You should PUSH the razor, not pull--handle trailing. With good stropping, a cartridge could actually last for better than 65 shaves. Also, I might recommend getting a better strop. Illinois are good for Bic disposables, but when you're shaving with the big boys (Fusion, Mach 3, etc.) you should at LEAST be using 3" latigo.
I also never knew one could strop anything other than a straight razor. I always assumed that one of the selling (marketing?) points of the original DE "safety" disposable system was the elimination of stropping by marketing the "disposable" blade. I guess one could strop a DE blade to extend the life, but gee, how much are you really saving there? Is the cost of a strop versus the benefit worth it? I would have thought the steel used in disposables was of such poor quality due to the planned osolescence of the product that stopping would not have even been considered. But a cartridge multi balde? Help me here guys, I'm new to all this as well........
i have never sean this sort of think before i am at a loss to no what to say i must agree with JIMR it must be a joke or sombody nead,s serious help on stroping,
Well, I would say lets just answer the question. If it's a joke we will find it later and if is not then we would have answered the question and help someone. The fact that we don't think necessary to strop a cartridge can be added as an additional advise... but (and I do not intend to offend anyone her ) answering the question with comments like "why strop a cartridge?" or the like makes us to be seen as some sort of elitist snobs
Your main problem is pressure. As Jim said, make sure you strop with the handle trailing. But also, make sure you are using what we call negative pressure on the strop. Keep the lubricating strip on the strop at all times and make sure that all pressure is applied to the strip. In fact, put negative pressure on the edge and you will get the ideal results when stropping a cartridge. The pivoting head, and multi-blades, should make this a reasonably easy process. James.
Well obviously after stropping it wrong, you have most likely rolled the edge(s) so now Honing is in order... Lets see @$15 per blade for honing assuming no damage that would run you $75 for all 5 blades to be honed back to shave ready.... Also this is assuming I can take it apart and then put it back together... Pinning would of course be slightly extra.... Pm me for the mialing address happy102:happy102
Personally, I would never supercede the authority of the blue indicator strip. Once the blue goes away, you know its dull. But the blue doesn't come back just because you sharpen the blades. How are you supposed to know when it gets dull again unless you have some sort of colormetric device?
