The Bob Ross of Straight Razors! Thanks for putting instructional materials out there, and keeping historical skills alive.

Great video Lynn! Three points always worth repeating - Keep it light and you'll be right. Turn on the spine and you'll be fine. And, Don't strop fast, the strop won't last. Musicians will get the speed thing. If you start stropping at 60BPM (beats per minute - that's one stroke per second), and work up to no more than 80BPM, you'll be a pro before you know!

Very nice intro video. Many great tips to help a beginner get the feel of the technique. I've read many pages on how to hone a razor but, unfortunately, nothing beats having someone demonstrate the right way to do this.

Lynn is a master of the straight razor

A Busch sign in the background? This guy is awesome.

Thanks for making this video, great information and demonstration, will surely help me technique

Even a couple years later still worth a look.

Hey Lynn, Great videos. You restored and old Wade Butcher 7/8 for me years ago. I eventually got into taking care of my own collection after subscribing to the straight razor group on yahoo. Thanks so much for sharing. I have had years of collecting fun and restoration thanks to your information. Take care.

Excellent video. Very informative. I plan on watching Lynn's videos more.

Thanks for the video, Lynn! Great stuff and very informative. You inspired me to make a strop today and I love how it works. I followed the dimensions you mentioned and it turned out great.

I have one of your strops on the way to me now. Looking forward to trying it out. Thanks for the educational videos

Thanks for the great and informative presentation Lynn great job.

Got it!! Thanks so much for the quick response. Your videos are clear, informative & very helpful. Kind Regards, Ken.

Another great video by you. Have favourited this video. Please keep uploading videos like this!!!!

Love these videos! Really informative. Please make more!

My order is on its way to me, ordered the feather ss to start to learn the use of the staight razor, will move slowly towards this, thank you awesome shop, shipped same day.

Thanks! Happy Holidays!

Garfield #569 & ORAK Bagpiper here, I just started with a Merkur safety razor, however, I do see a straight razor in my future. Thanks for the lesson Brother.

Great video Lynn!

On the against the grain stroke or across the grain stroke, you may want to make sure you have less angle than with your normal with the grain stroke.

Great one Lynn Thanks !

Thanks for sharing Your expertise. I started using straight razors around 20yrs ago but after several years without I started to use them again a few weeks ago. Surely being no true beginner, you can always pick up something. A few days ago I had an idea for stropping training: carefully put electrical tape around the edge. This way You can train with the real razor without the danger of ruining strop or blade. I did this on my first honing project on a 10000 grid stone to get the feeling.

Thanks Lynn great vids . Just bought some of your honing stones and strop and what I would like to see in your next video is how to apply the crayon or paste if you need it at all . I'm in Australia and I'd love to visit your store the next time I'm in the states . Cheers

Awesome Vid Bro!!!

I probably use the hanging strop the most following honing razors every day, but I will use the paddle a lot when doing touch ups and the Big Livi for final stropping after testing razors.

Great video!

Thanks Michael, I do recommend stropping the razor 40-60 strokes on the leather before every use.

Thanks. I had never heard how many strokes or the purpose of the canvas before... I was using about 10 strokes, having my razor pull and going back to the hone (which I'm probably also doing incorrectly). Nice video.

Thanks lynn

Thank you , very much, friend.-

Hey Lynn; thanks for the great videos. I'd appreciate if you could do videos about how to use the straight razor as well as how to restore a strop that hasn't been used for some time (dried up and some dirt on...)

My preference on the poly webbing is the chromium oxide crayon followed by the paste. The most important thing is to put it on very sparingly or just until you can see the color green. Works very well for refreshing the razor or at the end of a honing regiment. The sprays tend to soak in better on the felt which provides a nice cushion and result.

Thanks !

Very informative as usual Lynn, that Mastro Livi monster strop is phenomenal. Which style of strop do you prefer most, hanging, paddle or loom?

Hi, Mr. Abrams. I've heard you're the master at making a keen edge. I have a Dovo Palisander 6/8 full hollow ground that I bought from Superior Shave a couple months ago. I've shaved with it a hand full of times and it's my first straight. I fear, though, that my edge is getting dull as it feels like my hair is being pulled on the against the grain stroke. I bought a big daddy strop from star shaving, and that's what brings me here. Any thing I can do to test how sharp the blade is?

Can a cheap strop dull a blade? And if so, any recommendations on a good, mid-priced hanging strop?

Hi there great video. I was told to use the leather side first and then finish off with canvas? Is that correct or is it the opposite way round??

Thanks

Hi there smashing video, would you recommend stropping daily? I can send a link of the razor and stop I bought if it would help. Thanks MichaelB

Mastro Livi said if you have a worked spine or any work on it, rotating the blade over the strop will damage the strop. He says a X stroke lifting the razor away from the strop and then bringing it back with the spine first then laying it flat is the best way. Will a worked spine really damage the strop?

Hey Lynn, just received my first straight after a few years of DE, it's a dovo 5/8, and I've sent it out to be honed properly before I use it. But I do want to learn to hone myself, is there a cheap brand razor you would recommend that would be good to learn with that's not going to be such a bad thing if I do happen to mess up?

If you have rounded the edge over time from too much pressure, you can try to refresh the razor on the hones. I have not had much luck from using the strop to correct this.

Lynn, If you have used too much pressure do you need to hone the razor or can you correct with stropping?

Very informative, but I would like to purchase one of your 3 inch strops , do you have a website??🤔

i just ordered my first straight razor, i got on straightrazordesigns.com and was eye balling the " black latigo strop D ring " ....is that something that is good for a beginner like myself to use? and another question is, is there two different materials on either side of the strop? what is the reason for that and how many passes are you supposed to do on each side? i know in your video above you said about 10-20 on one side and then 40-60 on the other....but how do i know which side is which? thanks

I like the .5 chromium oxide that is sold for razors. It is hard to find out how much chromium oxide is used in the polishing compounds, but if it is close to the .5, it should work fine. Don't cake it on. Just put enough on to see the color green.

Thanks for the tutorial. Couple of novice questions: I have just bought a two sided strop - leather and suede. What side do I begin/finish with? Leather or suede? Also, on what side/surface do I put the stropping paste on? And what paste. Many thanks

I see a lot of talk on forums about strop paste, when would you use it and how would you apply it?

Hey Lynn, thanks for putting up the video, very informative and appreciated. Question, I recently purchased a used horsehide strop 2-1/2" x 24" it has a canvas linen back, overall it appears to be in good shape. Should I treat the leather or canvas with anything before using it? Thanks in advance Ed...

Hi Lynn, I think I may be over stropping my razor (Dovo Bismarck). Can you tell me the signs? Thank You Sir. Ken.

I would recommend trying to find one within your budget on either ebay or one of the forum classified for sale sections. If you can find one with minimum wear, it would be a good thing. If you have a friend or contact who uses straight razors or who hones them, you might send them pictures of a razor for advice before you buy or PM me and I will try to help you.

Medina Lodge #58, Scottish Rite and Shriner. Let me know if I can ever help you out on your travels with wetshaving.

Most problems from stropping come from too much pressure being applied and then lifting the razor up at the end of the stroke vs. using just light pressure, a nice rhythm and rolling the razor on the spine to change directions. Other problems include trying to strop too fast or being too tentative which normally results in cutting the strop.

Hello Lynn. Thanks for a very helpful video. In your opinion, how many shaves with stropping after each time can a razor take before refreshing with chromium oxide is needed? In other words, how often is refreshing required? I just purchased one of your Premium strops and installed a cup hook as per your videos. It works great. It's my first hanging strop. I really like the poly webbing. Thanks for all the great advice.

I am fond of English Bridle and Kangaroo Strops and probably use these the most. On the Freemason question, contact a lodge near to where you live and let them know of your interest and you will receive guidance. Thanks.

good

Check out the Strop Shot at Straight Razor Designs. Thanks.

Where can we get one of those shirts?

Lynn - quick question. I have sourced a few pieces of leather with the intent of making a strop board to place inside my shaving box. I am putting together. Again since i do 18th century reenacting, the shaving box i am putting together is along those lines of what you'd have seen in mid to late 1700's..Thats why i am making a board and not buying it. That said, I have sourced a few pieces of cow hide leathers of various thickness and have a few questions: 1.) What is suggested to use for gluing the leather and the cotton duck cloth material down to the board?. I have both Contact cement and 3M 77 spray glue... 2.) Is it best to use the thicker horse-tack type cow hide (like belt thickness or a hair thicker) or can i use a thinner yet much stiffer (not floppy) cowhide about 1/16th thick or doesn't it matter...so long as the leather being used is smooth (not dimpled) and glued down sturdy enough....my only thought it wearing out the thinner..but then again looks like most board strops do NOT use the thicker leather and lean towards the thinner semi stiff hide....thanks in advance

I have a homemade strop...what do I do?

Medina Lodge #158. Let me know if I can help you out when you start honing. Fraternally

Hi Lynn, thank you for you great tutorial, only one question, I need to use any compound in the canvas side?

Do you need to do more laps or otherwise change your stropping on a strop with a heavy draw as opposed to a lighter draw?

Normally, I just recommend rubbing the palm daily on the strop until the palm starts to feel warm. That usually will break in the strop nicely. I use chromium oxide or .5 diamond on the back of the webbing, leather part of the strop or on a separate piece of felt for refreshing and final honing. Thanks.

Mkay

I normally strop 40-60 strokes prior to shaving and then 20-40 strokes after shaving before I put the razor up. A lot of people only strop prior to each shave using 30 strokes to up to 100 strokes. Lots of personal preference involved.

Hi Lynn, I just bought my first Damascus steel straight razor. Its sharp out the box but not sharp enough to shave. Im just wondering, do I have to strop it before my first use?

I strop the razor I am going to use before shaving with it and I shave almost every day. I normally will not strop razors not in use at any given point in time.

before I put it away yesterday, I put a fine coat of oil on the razor, do I need to remove it before stropping or just strop the razor?Thanks in advance.

Hey Lynn, When do I need to use the canvas side of my strop?

with the loom strop, when should I use the "green pasty side"? Should I use only the clean leather side, like 60 strokes for everyday use and the paste side only for touch ups? or would I use the paste side and leather side everyday (for example: 20 strokes on the paste side and 40 strokes on the leather)? thanks!

Hi, I have a sort of off topic question. But maybe you could help me :) Should I clean my soap lather cup after using it? I mean should I completely dry it or I just have to remove majority of lather?

so just to reiterate, a strop paste is not totally necessary?

great video. I'm really new to straight edge razor shaving. I'm trying to get strop. from your website sight which strop would you recommend. actually I'm making a shave den cabinet that I want to incorporate the strops with it. so I'm looking at the replacement strops on your website. so what do I need as far as strops go to maintain my razors. sooo many options I'm not sure what to get. your advice is greatly appreciated.

Len I'm new to the art , bought a strop that has white leather seems harder and brown leather the seems more pliable with a canvasy back . Whats up with that ???

Thanks! You will love the store and we look forward to meeting you. Take a look at my refreshing video. I apply the crayon to a strop there.

I have lots of questions since I'm planning of joining the art of using a straight razor. How long to strops and Naniwa Super Stones last for personal use? Also, after using a razor do you have to apply an oil right after use? If so, do you have to apply the oil after every shave? Thank you.

i can remember my grandpappy using something along the line of ivory soap on the canvas. of course thats where i learned how to cuss too.

It is.

I bought a s razor kit and it came with a single leather piece. Do I need a cloth piece also or is this single leather piece sufficient? I curled my razor on my first stropping attempt does it need to be sharpened or can I strop it out?

I usually shave with a razor once honed to determine how well it shaves. That really is my preferred test. If it pulls, it needs more sharpening. If it glides over the beard and doesn't remove any hair, there is probably a burr and It needs sharpening. For new shavers, the problem is usually not the razor unless they have done something to dull the razor. It normally is just a matter of more practice and improving your technique.

Lynn - Why is a hanging strop preferred over a paddle? According to what I understand about blade geometry, I can’t see any value in using a strop that may wrap around the apex at all.

What would the advantage of a hanging strop be over a paddle strop? Anyone able to help me understand? Thank you

Most people that use the canvas or linen side do 10-20 strokes followed by 40-60 on the leather.

What is the strop doing to the edge? I've heard it's straightening the edge. When do you use abrasive compounds like the green Magnesium paste?

If you feel the towel rack is secure enough and that is a comfortable angle for you to strop a razor, then you should be fine.

I just have a couple of questions for a starting straight razor shaver. Some reviews of certain products complain that the razor does not come shave ready, and suggests that it takes extra cycles of honing and stropping to prep it. Would you happen to know how many extra cycles? Also, after appyling the chromium oxide to your strop, how often should you re-apply it? (P.S. I do apologize if you went over this information in your video and I missed it)

question: does the spine remains in contact with the strop as you stropping? or it only touch the strop as u rolling the razor?

I went to the website on this video, I couldn't find any.

If you have a strop that you've accidentally nicked a couple of times, you can barely feel the nicks with your fingertips - the only thing you feel is that it feels slightly different from the rest of the leather. Will that affect the blade and is there anything that could be done about it? Like using very fine sandpaper? I tried asking where I bought my razor but they didn't know exactly so I guess, who better to ask than you?

I actually damaged my 2"wide hanging strop because I didn't keep tension on it. So I bought a paddlestrop. Still- when travelling, a hanging strop might be easier packing into you luggage.

When do you know the strop needs to be oiled (conditioned).

That massive mastro livi loom strop made me laugh. "He also makes this smaller variety of strops." It looks really top heavy, is it?

What's the difference between stropping on leather and canvas?

Hmmmm k. Lol nice video thanks

about how many strokes per side? and do you need stroping compound?

Why would a semi rigid paddle strop be “good for travel”? When compared with something akin to wide belt? It isn’t, it’s just something people say for some reason.

once metal gets built up on this canvas what then?

Lmao shaving is a sport now? LOL you said it in the beginning.

Not for every day stropping in my opinion.