Thread: Unstropped vs Stropped Edge

What's up guys.

Just quick question: While I do normally strop before a shave, I don't really feel that it adds anything to the comfort of my shave. Does anyone have some magnified pictures of a stropped vs unstropped edge? I constantly read about stropping smoothing out an edge but I can never actually see it and I certainly don't feel it. I've varied my stropping technique many times to include light or a decent amount of pressure, listening to the sound of stropping, feeling the draw of the strop, etc.

Could this be an issue with the strop surface? What I mean is in when viewed in the light my black latigo leather strop appears to have some places that seem less "worn" and some that are smoother. Generally before stropping I run my hand up and down the strop to help generate some warmth on the strop. Would a strop dressing help to make the leather more supple, smooth, and shiny and thus help in smoothing my edge?

This video is a perfect example of what I'm referring to on my strop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgsEKpA4SUI

Watch from about 6:32-7:00 and you can see how his black strop near the bottom reflects light like a mirror and is very, very smooth. Mine looks more like the top where you can see some wear and isn't as shiny.

Thanks a bunch.

Well it may depend on how many laps you do. I personally do about 30 on cloth and 75-80 on leather. It varies IMO. I don't have pictures, but have seen a few on this site. There was an obvious difference.

The variables are pretty huge when it comes to added comfort during the shave. Razor, soap, water, stropping laps, strop materials, brush material, prep, stretching skin, time to allow lather to set, ect...

I wish I could point you in the right direction.

There are some high mag images that were done years ago by one of the Science Magazines showing what stropping actually does..

It is on here someplace if I find it I will link it for you

Subscribed!!

This one G ?

WONDER PHOTOS REVEAL UNSUSPECTED FACTS ABOUT Razor Blades and Shaving (Oct, 1931) | Modern Mechanix

for the strop to keep supple, you can rub it with hand before stropping, or apply neatsfoot oil every month or so.
As far as edge the strop should make a difference, to the edge.

Yep that is one of them Oz, thanks

Here's some more old, related pics. (DE blade)

I've only shaved once with an unstropped edge and I ended up with a bunch of pimples on my chin. This was when I was first learning how to straight razor shave. Was it lack of technique? Maybe but I haven't shaved with out stropping since and it hasn't ever happened again.

I don't know for sure whether it makes a difference or not but the consensus of lots of shavers over centuries seems to be that it has some effect. It doesn't take all that long and sometimes I can really get into it. Part of the SR8 culture, I suppose. At this point I'm kind of afraid to try not stropping.