Why stroping before?

Why is it recommended to strop before shaving, and not after shaving, so when you'll shave again it will already be ready?

 

I'm sure there may be a logical reason.
Really, if you think about it, you're stropping before your next shave weather you do it just before the next shave, or just after the last one.

Me, I strop just before the next shave.

 

Some sources recommend both, before and after ...

After the shave: To make sure the edge is cleaned and dry
Before the shave: To make sure the edge is clean of any Micro-Corrosion (Linen) and that the fine edge is aligned and burnished to it's best possible state (Leather)

There are many many theories as to what stropping actually does to the edge, not one has ever been proved, other then cleaning up the edge, but every straight razor enthusiast knows without a doubt that stropping helps Personally I like the word bunish I think it is a good descriptor, I think of stropping much like DE blade makers use Coatings on their edges, doubt if it is true but it works for my brain

Smooth Shaves

 

I do what Glen said in his post but, I don't use linen, just leather.

 

I use linen and leather, before and after. Overkill? Dunno. But it works for me.

 

I rotate between razors, so before I use the new one I use a felt bench strop, one with cr. the other diamond. Go about 5-6 on these then ~10 on the linen to clean them off and ~20 on the leather.

 

I strop before and after, It's a good habit to get into, as Glen already stated your edge needs drying and maintenance due to micro corrosion, stropping twice before and after should always be encouraged.

Jamie

 

Razor resting - I still don't buy it.

 

For people that strop after use, do you do a full strop (25ish linen, 50ish leather) or only some passes on each side to remove the humidity? Sorry for me dumb questions, i'm just trying to learn here

 

Frankly I would assume that it is like using a steel on a good chef knife or carving knife. Where I have always heard it explained that the honing and also the process of using the blade will leave the edge sharp by because of its thinness wavy (side to side) and the steel or strope tends to cause the edge to be straighter and therefore able to cut more cleanly. And I would guess that the before and after stroping would correct any flexing caused just by the thin edge being bumped while the blade is being opened.

 

For me, generally it's
Before: 30 Linen, 60 Leather
After: 5 Linen, 10 Leather

Numbers are estimates. I go by feel and sound now. Your blade tells you when its done.

 

I rarely stropped after shaving and always stropped b4 a shave. Same as when I use a butchers knife. Always run the blade on the butchers steel b4 cutting or carving, and sometimes during IF I have a lot of meat to cut, but it all depends on how the blade is performing.

 

I always strop before. I can't recall a time that I've ever stropped after. That being said, I cannot say with authority if stropping both before and after has any affect.

 

50 on leather before 25 on leather after. Whether this is a waste of time I have no idea but, my razors need minimal maintenance and I've never had to think about sending them out for new honing. I do use a barber's hone though which would be another thread.

 

How do you like the barbers hone? I've been thinking lately about trading my Coti and Naniwa Combo in for just a barber hone, sending them off to a honemeister for one final go and just leave it with the vintage barbers hone in my den. My razor restoration has kind of fallen apart lately and I can't see the need for keeping 2 fine hones around for no reason other than touching up.

 

It's so easy to use a barbers hone that it's laughable. It takes no skill what so ever. I use a 3 line Swaty by the way.