Bro started life and put no points into Dexterity.
@thesuperiorshave Жыл бұрын
used forged open razors to shave for decades vs a harsh beard quite successfully that's probably more dexterity than you can boast
@TerryEllis1620 Жыл бұрын
Don't have to get saucy. You are the one that said you were not dexterous enough in the video, but apparently you've been grinding your smithing skills@@thesuperiorshave
@thesuperiorshave Жыл бұрын
stropping is, permanently, a mild challenge to perform ideally not like honing and shaving with the razor
@jmc10762 жыл бұрын
Uploaded 11 years ago… still one of the most informative videos on stropping I’ve found.
@thesuperiorshave2 жыл бұрын
surely could do better one now (and in higher resolution), just keep it 'round b/c it is by far the top $-maker for YT advert revenues.
@ltcis9 жыл бұрын
I've outfitted myself to attempt to straight razor shave for the first time in my life, so I've been looking at various videos regarding preparation. Your video has been the simplest to understand, and made the most sense to me (the quintessential novice) that I have seen by far. Thanks for making this!
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
ltcis thanks Itcis.
@ModernHinduism4 жыл бұрын
Its 3am and i dont even have a straight razor
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
Can't knock that YT suggestee algorithm, it knows u better than u know yerself! Didn't know I'd like watching a busy Japanese intersection or British customs agents primarily busting cheap Brits smuggling in untaxed cigarettes (ultra politely) as their fulltime job until it said so...
@msm94303 жыл бұрын
Hahaha love it. I often do things like that.
@orionespy3 жыл бұрын
Count the razor swipes, 1,2,3.....
@GigaTyGuy4 ай бұрын
My goodness this was the first source of info after a week of searching to finally explain the black cotton/felt preparation strap on my strop!
@thesuperiorshave4 ай бұрын
definitely a dying art, straight razors keep at it and thanks for trying them!
@franksmith91034 жыл бұрын
I find myself coming back again and again to listen to the sounds of the strops in his stropping vids
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
thanks!
@slcommitment5 жыл бұрын
Oh!. you took me back to my child time❤👍, remembering an indian barber in our city and he used such leather belts for sharpening his razors.
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
Bet he had skilled hands.
@slcommitment5 жыл бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave and you also 👌
@richardroberts8341 Жыл бұрын
Oddly enough I looked up this video to show my son what I used to get strapped with when I was a bad boy. After watching the complete video I was pleasantly educated with the greater inner workings of the Barber strap. Well done and thank you for this extremely educational video. Cheers mate !
@thesuperiorshave Жыл бұрын
sounds like dad ran a tight ship!
@Tmanaz48011 ай бұрын
My WWII vet dad ran a tight ship, but it was a 20th century ship. Didn't have to beat us, although my brother had to be put in the brig a couple of times.
@bunnybro59773 жыл бұрын
The smell of cigarettes and the sound of a razor being stropped. Stuff teleports me straight into my childhood
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
can't believe these words are coming to my fingers but I'm mildly nostalgic about conventional cigarette smoke now what with them being pushed to the edge of society and the vaporthingies taking over with all the cool kids and all that... also I am against Newport etc.'s brands being told they have to terminate for being too successful at selling to a market, if it is a legal product and they're targeting the legal age buyer that ain't fair to me as a capitalist
@inspectorgadget3463 жыл бұрын
Today society has giving smoking a negative connotation, yet the only reason people care about smoking is because it raises the cost of health insurance. Remember when doctors smoked. Remember the movie theaters back in the day with all the smokers. Remember when you actually had a smoking section in a restaurant. Remember when politicians would smoke in the Capital. They smoked behind doors to fight out differences on laws as well as deciding on if our country was going to war.
@MarkSzorady7 жыл бұрын
Thaks for the tip on the two inch strop. I thought the lateral move would lead to problems, as well. Nice to know you can do half the blade and then the other half.
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
no shelves seem to be developing on my razors doing it this way 7yrs or thereabout
@MarkSzorady7 жыл бұрын
Thank you.:)
@svenait99905 жыл бұрын
Very, very good video. Really like what you say about feedback from the strop - and really useful tips.
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
thanks!
@RobertKaydoo7 жыл бұрын
Very informative! Thank you for making and posting this. I really like your turning technique, I will be sure to try it the next time I am stropping. Peace.
@jimpurpura98684 жыл бұрын
Best stropping video I've seen. Thanks!
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
well thank u! Wish I could give it more resolution but it is the big earner 'round here. Lookin' a lil long in the tooth for my aging eyes, like a mid-00s pre-HD sports clip.
@donsegundo50125 ай бұрын
@thesuperiorshave you have given me the best advice that I could not find anywhere, not even by myself, I needed to give a lot of leather to my straight and mirror edges, now I have achieved a shave equal to or better than that of a safety razor Thank you very much Sensei!!!👌👍
@thesuperiorshave5 ай бұрын
Well thank you, kind human!!
@flipsfan783 жыл бұрын
Perfect demonstration. Thank you
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
You are welcome!
@outcast7312 жыл бұрын
Nice video. I just inherited an Anton Berg Eskilstuna from my grandfather, so I decided to look into how to use it (Your video helped a lot). It's got a pretty nasty edge on it, but still surprisingly sharp. I will hunt down a strop, and if I get the hang of it I'm sure I'll save myself some money in the long run, as those gillette sensor blades are very expensive.
@Hockeyfan98847 жыл бұрын
This is a very very informative video in all manners, the best I have seen actually. Thank you for sharing. Please post more video. Awesome info.
@MrMarkris12 жыл бұрын
This is a great video tutorial! I love the "Why behind it" tips. It's always important to know how to do things properly and what happens when you don't. :o)
@TheLiberatedMonkey10 жыл бұрын
How high of an angle should your blade be off the strop? You use sound as feedback which is a great idea but should the blade be flush against the leather or raised at an angle just like when you shave? When I change the angle, I get different sounds.
@thesuperiorshave10 жыл бұрын
Spine and edge are flush to leather at all times, 0 degrees! Sounds help evaluate applied pressure; less is usually better and never more to the edge than to the spine. I, too, cannot get the same sound in both directions, and I blame that on my skill, I do not believe it is anything to do with the Doppler effect; I'm simply better at this in one direction. Similarly, I am MUCH better at the "coming to me" stroke during honing (non-show side bevel upon stone) than I am on the reverse (show-side bevel upon stone), where I have a hard time even going to the full length of the honing plane let alone getting equal pressure quantity as the other stroke, but even though both are not nearly close to perfect, they're sufficient.
@suea.45372 жыл бұрын
i love the sound of a strop and razor...
@BareKnuckle3219 жыл бұрын
Thanks for this vid. It's the most informative vid I've seen on the subject.
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+Ernie Cuello thanx Ernie
@richiesbbq8 жыл бұрын
I have an old Illinois 827 strop that my dad had but all the hardware on it isn't shiny anymore with a little rust but still holding up. But what I noticed is that it's held together with a knob that screws on where some strops are sewn. Is it ok to disassemble it and flip the leather over to start new with the other side. It has the fabric piece too.
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
yes, but it will likely be the opposite side of the dear departed animal (some strops you strop upon the former inside aka the 'split side', others - and most "Illinois" - you strop upon the full/top grain former outside); it may need to be sanded down flat and fine to work well. But def. a possibility for a good stropping plane.
@richiesbbq8 жыл бұрын
+The Superior Shave thank you sir
@siluette1669 ай бұрын
Hello, is the prep side essantial? I have ordered a Herold Solingen 3 inch strop but it doesnt have a linen side I think its time same as dovo strops and like you said they dont make 3 inch with linen side. Do I really need the linen?
@thesuperiorshave9 ай бұрын
def. a non-essential
@YewTewbMom4 жыл бұрын
I am looking for a high end razor like that which never needs to be switched out with new razor heads! Can you please help me with this?
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
Dovo Sunday Shaver
@nate4shave5 жыл бұрын
Very informative ,great tips and technics 👍🏻
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
thanx 4 your kind words!
@SLASHERamc9 жыл бұрын
Wow, thanks for the info man!!- I greatly appreciate it.
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
***** You're welcome, Slasherman, happy stropping down the road may your pitch be ever high.
@harrylimeracketeer6 жыл бұрын
good video. Thanks. I'll probably check it out again when I get my straight razor.
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
please do in good health
@greenmarine59 жыл бұрын
TY for the video it was very Informative and you explain the technique in a way that makes it very easy to understand.
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+greenmarine5 thanks greenmarine, may u enjoy enough shaves ahead of u to become greymarine
@greenmarine59 жыл бұрын
LOL TY unfortunately I already am Grey ( 47) with 3 daughters, any father knows that causes grey hair. I have 3 straights 1 is an ERN one was bought at a garage sale not sure of the make but it's a very good shaver and the third is a Gold Dollar which is a horrible shaver. Anyhow I got my first strop for Christmas this year before I was using an old leather coat and pulling it taught. I will purchase my next strop by your recommendation (walking horse) from the video since obviously you know what you are doing. Again thank you so far you have the best information on youtube even among the hundreds of stropping videos. It wasn't your practical app but your explanation that helped the most.
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
thanx greenmarine5...incidentally, Walkin' Horse is no more, as getting USA horsebutt for strops is VERY hard to source. Best bet is to search eBay for 'vintage shell strop', the ones sold to the Japanese market are consistently terrific and usually in great shape (though you'll share interest with other bidders every time)
@greenmarine59 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the info Much appreciated.
@markgrevatt48678 жыл бұрын
i also wanted to ask about a paddle strop as i would probably find that mich easier to work with i do get alot of pain standing up for to long due to a back injury thats in advance for your input.
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
Much easier to use but always giving up a lot of real estate.
@danielnguyen61138 жыл бұрын
is it necessary to strop that quickly? Can I get the same results with a slow steady motion?
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
certainly! Just don't let the razor come to a full stop on the leather if you can, as that's a good way to have it really moving unbeknownst in the wrong direction. I only became a high-speed stropper due the time constraints of a workday, and then it became, for me, better to strop fast than slow, even at home off the clock, due the muscle memories.
@mrvaltinho2 жыл бұрын
I have a vintage japanese Yasuki special razor, but not matter how much I strop, I have never been able to make it as sharp as the disposable blades, such as Parker Platinum. Is it even possible to strop a straight razor to be as sharp as a disposable razor?
@thesuperiorshave2 жыл бұрын
no, not just from the strop your problem is likely that your bevel form has been made a full flush isosceles triangle, via honing only on flat stones... at the factory they would have produced a bevel which was itself concave, and you can reintroduce this concavity to the bevel by progressively shaping your hones reset your bevel with a stone shaped to a 2m diameter (down its length), refine that with a 5m dia. middle grit stone, and finish upon a hard fine stone shaped to 8m, you will greatly reduce overall bevel thickness and also reduce the effective cutting angle maybe you'll still prefer the DE blade experience, but if you never do as I described above, you aren't giving the old blade a fair chance because it isn't being represented as its deceased creators intended
@sinpac6161 Жыл бұрын
The strop is not made to sharpen. its to tame the bur. stone sharpen the blade
@chrisram94248 жыл бұрын
how often to sharpen it for the use for a daily barber
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
+Chris ram there are a lot of factors involved here, mostly how good the barber is at stretching, prepping the beards, and keeping angle of incidence of blade to skin nice and low with short, repetitive baby strokes...we have a few full time barbers here in Jacksonville that use the real kind and they all have at least 2 pcs (so that one be being sterilized while another in use, you must soak in the solution at least 20 min and must always take a sterilized blade to the strop and then on to client, not to strop again, as there is no way to sterilize the leather), a strop, and a Belgian coticule stone. I have taught them to use water or lather only for their coticules and to touch the stone just a few swipes between each client as the best way to keep any major re-honing away.
@MajikCatSecurity4 жыл бұрын
Very informative video tutorial! Thanks...
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful happy shaving 2 u!
@acree37397 жыл бұрын
Great video man. Very informative Thank You!
@somedudewholikestocook98023 жыл бұрын
Thanks, helped me sharpen my cooking knife
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
non-razors should not be kept flush to the leather at the spine, there's various contraptions you can put on the spine to prescribe a bit of crucial and consistent space.
@somedudewholikestocook98023 жыл бұрын
Alright, thanks for the tip
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
just tryin' 2 matter
@Lives.2.Ride.8 жыл бұрын
can I use my leather weight lifting belt?? looks similar..
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
It is probably not smooth enough, but evaluate with a blind hand. Pull taut and rub along its surface; does it feel uniform, and most crucially that it feels the same in one direction of hand travel as the other? A good strop leather should be supple, flush to the razor edge, never a hard spot to damage the crucially thin razor edge, and uniform in its sensation in either direction.
@bthompson17673 жыл бұрын
How does leather sharpen a blade
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
It doesn't. It just realigns its micro-serratiions at edge to be in furthest opposition to spine6
@theconsciousobserver68293 жыл бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave microserration?
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
the tiny bits at the end where the steel begins to fragment away (every Solingen grinder I've spoken to has said not to try and remove "micro-teeth" as they call them).
@flute136 Жыл бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave razors are literally serrationless blades. thats how they work. think about the action of shaving with a straight razor. you just go down in a line. that is why you need a "razor" sharp edge since serrations only work with horizontal movement
@thesuperiorshave Жыл бұрын
Literally the managing director of the world's largest remaining razor mfgr can be overheard on one of my videos in their factory speaking of the "critical micro-teeth structure", perhaps he's mistaken.
@Gollammeister4 жыл бұрын
Is it essential to use compound on nylon cotton side of strop? Or not
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
NOT essential in any way
@lockaaas4 жыл бұрын
how do I know when it's sharp enough and how many times can I use the razor before I have to sharpen again? I guess that I will get a feeling for it. But maybe you can tell a little from your experiences
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
as to when is the stropping enough, I just use a rhythym of 8-count time for my strokes like I'm a background musician keeping time with my strop instrument, and I do 4 8-counts of each linen and leather. I suppose 25+ laps on 3" x 12" of meaningful area would be sufficient. Yes, the 2nd question takes some cooking experience. When it feels less than it was it is time to hone to me. Beginners have trouble differentiating the limiting comfort factor and don't understand it is them not the blade, overwhelmingly likely if sold by a party making their main rep on the sale of European open razors. So IF the vendor has that reputation (as clearly do I), await the shave when u say to yourself "this thing was running better some days ago", that to mean would indicate some experience to discern what they're feeling.
@MajikCatSecurity4 жыл бұрын
Stropping does NOT sharpen your razor. The reason you practice stropping your razor before or right after a shave is to keep the edge aligned, which is why so many think this is a method to sharpen it. In truth the microscopic edge of your razor becomes nibbled and uneven simply from use. When you strop that removes all the little microscopic jagged burrs a razors edge may get, making it shave much better and closer with less chance of nicking the skin (A straight razors fine edge is actually very delicate, which is what makes a razor so very sharp). Thus is why so many mistake this action for sharpening.
@mrbluelw8812 жыл бұрын
Do you think it's possible the reason your strops end up damaged in one area is because of the action you're using? Would it not be less damaging to use the "pencil rolling method", as you put it?
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
yes, some tiny lateral bias is cutting the strops, over time. But I will damage a lot of razors dropping them by trying to 'correctly' roll the tang in the fingertips during the flip-over.
@connortivoli31614 жыл бұрын
Would you happen to know where a fellow could get walkin horse products ? Or any good quality 2.5in. strop for that matter. I just stumbled upon the beauty of the art known as "almost lacerating your jugular whilst shaving" and it seems as though my razor is pulling my skin off on the third go around. Any advice would help, peace brother.
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
he became an emm dee, just get anything horse from Tony Miller heirloomrazorstrop.com that is better workmanship and maybe not 100% equal hides selection but very very good in any case.
@markgrevatt48678 жыл бұрын
hi thanks for showing your technique and explaining the process of stopping. just want to ask your opinion on the boker straight razors. are they any good. Looking on various websites they say there shave ready.. do you believe in your experience that they are shave ready.. or do you think i should get a dovo straight razor instead. . i do like them both and also like thiers issard straight razors.
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
Boker very hit or miss. TI used to be the best, I don't feel so anymore; grind much thicker than it was. Still pretty things. Dovo's higher end models are fabulous.
@micheloliveira67187 жыл бұрын
The Superior Shave my Boker king cutter was a hit. It came with HHT positive after 30-40 strops right from unboxing. I've seen people using the same model that couldn't cut a tomato (!!!) right out of the box. So I think I understand your point.
@med86153 жыл бұрын
I see a lot of people using the rough side of the leather. how come u use the shiny side?
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
the leather should feel smooth and flat to a blind hand, for this is how the cutting edge shall evaluate
@mariuszkalwer52786 жыл бұрын
I really like your common sense attitude. There are so many guys out there thinking that there is one correct way of doing stuff around shaving. I think that if the chaps really using straights 200 yrs ago could rise up and speak they would have lots of fun reading today's shavers comments heheheh.
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
indeed, starting off with those who were wise enough to have convex hones taking to task their stones' inheritor who "correctly" flattened them :-)
@jordanbeyer76075 жыл бұрын
Do you only use smooth leather strops? I have one that is rough leather and not sure if that would be eddiquete
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
surface for daily use should feel smooth and uniform to a blind hand, and in each direction. What you have may be useful for embedded paste strop sharpening, but not for regular daily maintenance.
@jordanbeyer76075 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the insite. That makes sense. Much obliged!
@BRaggles4 жыл бұрын
@@jordanbeyer7607 "Adequate," "insight..."
@jordanbeyer76074 жыл бұрын
@@BRaggles piss off
@vale28234 жыл бұрын
@@jordanbeyer7607 how rude
@johnnyboydianno9 жыл бұрын
Ty for the demo nice work
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
thanx for watching, Johnny
@minisoduh4 жыл бұрын
gonna learn to use a straight blade now thank you !
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
Off u go, sir, don't buy shit from China or Pakistan and move the razor perpendicular to the cutting edge, never side to side :-) Whatever razor you get, learn to shape your hone this way for the best shave possible; kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKrZm5aDq7yCepI
@tayloralbrecht83624 жыл бұрын
What is the advantage of a hanging strop vs a paddle strop?
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
The full control of tension, and just more real estate (yes, there are loom paddle strops like Dovo's new one and Herold 57Rri but they're much smaller and $/leather ratio a lot worse).
@amzedel6510 жыл бұрын
What is your opinion on Balm Paste? Do you need it?
@donsegundo50126 ай бұрын
Buenas, pregunta, tengo que esperar un afeitado similar al de una maquinilla? Porque por más que afile y pula con amor no logro un filo y afeitado similar o igual al de cualquier maquinilla comercial No quiero perder el tiempo buscando lo que no se logra Muchas gracias
@thesuperiorshave5 ай бұрын
¿Tal vez pruebe una piedra de afilar convexa, para que el borde cortante sea cóncavo y no plano?
@donsegundo50125 ай бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave Is it possible to achieve a shave equal to or better than that of a safety razor? thank you
@thesuperiorshave5 ай бұрын
yes, key word "possible" it requires great skill, especially in stropping, but when done successfully, a uniquely satisfying post-shave feeling knowing you conquered the mountain
@donsegundo50125 ай бұрын
Thanks you very much mate!👌👍 @@thesuperiorshave
@donsegundo50125 ай бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave me has dado los mejores consejos que yo no pude encontrar en ningún lado ni siquiera por mí mismo, me faltaba darle mucho cuero a mis filos rectos y espejo, ahora sí he logrado un afeitado igual o mejor al de una safety razor Muchas gracias Sensei!!!👌👍
@Kierslee9 жыл бұрын
I just got three straight razors from my father. He said I should have them sharpened before I use them since they haven't been used in a couple decades. Where do you suggest that I send them?
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+Kierslee what kind of condition are they in now? any rust or pitting anywhere?
@BerserkeR_0314 жыл бұрын
I keep cutting into the side of my strop because my straight razor is longer than the strop and i'm a newbie :-(
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
I try to think of the left/right oscillations a separate event than the up and down, and I just for a long time randomly moving between the two extremities like playing an early 80s paddle video game
@franciscovillarreal77804 жыл бұрын
Great info, I just bought a straight razor and found out I need to strop it. I got a stropping belt coming in soon so this definitely helped me understand how to do it. Especially, when you mentioned the direction of the blade because I would've done it like if I was sharpening it and would have messed up that leather real good.
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
happy to help sir
@robbenmitchell79494 жыл бұрын
Do you use strop sharpening wax?
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
You should not impart anything which cuts steel into your daily use strop. Leather balm isn't much of a need here in ultra humid Florida but in dry climates willbe required eventually.
@fauxhawkboy1099 жыл бұрын
Very informative video. Just one question, in addition to stropping, do you also need to hone it or sharpen it every once in a while? And if so, how do you do that? ( sorry im sort of new to this whole straight razor business)
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
Sam Tunio yes, you must eventually hone. But be aware to at least wait until you remember it shaving you better a few days ago before trying to hone; before that moment, very likely that you, the new user, are the limiting factor to shaving comfort, rather than the keenness or lack thereof upon the blade.
@Harry_Eyeball4 жыл бұрын
The Strop Whisperer is very informative! Do I need to strop if I have plenty of extra spare blades?
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
If ever you want to see the effect of a strop, simply prepare a razor perfectly as you can, let it sit 2-3 days, get ready to shave, take a stroke with the razor that rested those days, strop the razor, and try another stroke.
@Miroku-Tono3 жыл бұрын
Skills they should teach in high school. Give them.... something useful to focus on.🇺🇸👍🇺🇸 Outstanding info. Greatly appreciated.
@MrCJ19889 жыл бұрын
Do you "need" to use anything else to strop a straight razor? Like a paste or any other product?
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+Mist3r CJ no, I have for five years now only used coticule (with water) + strop + leather fat
@83ajz68 жыл бұрын
i keep my razor stropp at my bathroom, the steam from a hot showers affects it?
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
Depends a lot on the leather type and how tanned. Not a great idea in a small bathroom but some leathers will be okay w/ it. If you use "split side" type (suede) leathers I would absolutely *NOT* recommend to keep them in the b-room. More humid it gets the leather, more the leather will want to re-assume its old shape when on the dearly departed sacrificial animal.
@gracewalker42224 жыл бұрын
I don’t know why I’m here but I’m not mad about it, I’m learning so much about straight razors I’ll never use 😂
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
yer here b/c YT's suggestion algorithm knows u better than u know u!
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
indeed
@llamingo8 жыл бұрын
do new straight Razor need to be honed, or stropping will make them sharp enough for shaving?
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
+Tyh Tre very brand dependent, but my professional opinion's that the vast majority of Dovos and NTS-Solingen need nothing more than a hearty stropping. Other brands we carry require more work here in the shop, Golddachs & Boker being very bad about the edges they ship among what we carry.
@Warlock7864 жыл бұрын
Why strop in the first place ?
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
prepare your razor ideally on your hone but do not strop, begin to shave, pause in the middle of the shave (to strop), continue shaving...you now have your answer
@C4lidas7 жыл бұрын
What does stropping do to a straight razor? Does it sharpen it after a shave?
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
No sharpening. It only re-aligns the razor's wafer-thin breaks on its edge to all be pointing in the same direction (the maximum distance from the spine). Officially the Germans believe you should *not* strop after the shave, by the way, as it fatigues the razor and shortens its lifespan (unofficially many think this is like quarreling of the ice water coming off a glacier).
@C4lidas7 жыл бұрын
So if it gets dull would i buy a new razor or sharpen the blade like I would a knife? And thank you so much for the help.
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
You don't buy a new razor, you just resharpen it, which can also be done by stropping by using a specific sharpening-only strop which would have its surface impregnated with any of a variety of extra fine steel-cutting agents.
@C4lidas7 жыл бұрын
The Superior Shave okay, thank you so much for all of your help.
@Martins-Shaves1232 жыл бұрын
Wonderful instructive video...when learning always buy a cheaper strop first ! When you're accomplished, then buy a really good one 😁
@thesuperiorshave2 жыл бұрын
chipping up a newbie's strop's a rite of passage like your first collision between faucet tap and cutting edge :'l
@vinzler35815 жыл бұрын
the leather is more to polish the razor and the canvas is more to remove burrs and other things right? im a student barber and ive been told both that the canvas polishes and the leather removes and vice versa.
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
yes, more or less - let us describe it as the canvas's job being to prepare the edge to interact with extremely fine/delicate leather.
@gloomy28305 жыл бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave How many times should one strope the razor on each side of the leather ?
@Snowdirtride5 жыл бұрын
@@gloomy2830 20 passes on each side should always do the job to realign the edge up after a shave. You can push the keenness a bit with stropping even more but your edge gets fragile over time (like stropping 50 passes on each side after every shave) and wears off quicker so you need to rehone it on a whetstone again. It is basically a trade off where you decide what you like and what is ok for you. I can recommend this site for scientific background scienceofsharp.com/home/
@soulmercer7 жыл бұрын
About how many strokes do you recommend on each side? I have been using a straight razor since I was 18, and, of late, I am having real problems keeping it sharp.
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
this would depend upon the hide and its size, but among common ~3x15" stropping area suede type calfhide strops, 36 laps would be a fine starting point. The last stroke's the most important.
@isaacquinlin768410 жыл бұрын
Can you strop with a regular belt?
@thesuperiorshave10 жыл бұрын
certainly, IF that belt's awfully smooth to the touch (= as smooth as a piece of leather/fabric born to the task). A big if, but def. possible.
@isaacquinlin768410 жыл бұрын
Another question and thank you for the other answer. Whats a good compound substitute?
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
Isaac Quinlin I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by 'compound substitute' here.
@trueblu8 Жыл бұрын
Great tips.
@fostexz10 жыл бұрын
how often do you have to strop?
@thesuperiorshave10 жыл бұрын
before every shave!
@fostexz10 жыл бұрын
I've seen people using a stone. Is that the same thing as doing this?
@thesuperiorshave10 жыл бұрын
no, it isn't
@thierrybeginl6 жыл бұрын
Nice video! Thanks, it is very clear! Now I am wondering if I bought the right thing... :T I have this tender Herold loom strop and I strop the razor tons of times and it doesn't sharpen that much... should I just get a real 3" strop or I should try to work with the Herold strop? Thanks!
@thesuperiorshave6 жыл бұрын
nothing wrong w/ your Herold loom, just less square footage, works the same principles. But strops/stropping do NOT sharpen (= remove) steel, they only realign the broken edge to have all fragments pointing neatly as far from the spine as possible. If your razor's not shaving well after thorough stropping on plain leather, try using a whetstone or a dedicated paste-covered strop (such as Dovo's red and black pastes, chromium oxide, diamond spray, etc.)
@thierrybeginl6 жыл бұрын
Great! thank you! I just bought it actually. "Shave ready" I think was the mention. It did shave very well at the beginning but now it's hurting more than shaving hehe (I'm new to this) Obviously I did make some marks on the loom where exactly I did the X shape sigh. But ok, I guess I put too much pressure also ! Thanks for your answer!
@thesuperiorshave6 жыл бұрын
I put very little stock in the term 'Shave Ready' without knowing the vendor assigning their name to the statement and especially the brand of the razor. However, even if the razor truly was ready for a good shave, a straight razor edge is tremendously fragile, and unfortunately can easily be compromised with just a few too-obtuse strokes on poorly-prepped beard with substandard lather and a bad stropping...thus, at this point, no matter who honed the razor, you as the limiting factor cannot be ignored as a possibility.
@thierrybeginl6 жыл бұрын
Ooohhh I see... :( shoot I probably stropped it with too much testosterones lol I guess I will give it a 2-300 shots but no pressure and as flat as possible. Like you say in the video at a certain point. My new blade is a Spartacus from Thiers-Issard 5/8 hollow. Thank you so much for your answers, I mean it!
@MARS72JJ12 жыл бұрын
great tips
@Citizen_Se7en10 жыл бұрын
Do you keep the spine of the razor pressed against the stropp while stropping, or do you stropp the blade at a more aggressive angle? It's hard to tell because you're doing it so fast in your videos, lol.
@thesuperiorshave10 жыл бұрын
hi Chuck...the cardinal rule in stropping; that spine ALWAYS must remain flush to leather when edge is also in contact with leather. If ever there's a moment when the edge is touching the leather and the spine is off the leather, you'll have imparted a stropping angle more obtuse than the bevel planes' natural angle as dictated by the spine-to-edge geometry - and almost certainly need a new honing at that point, but perhaps you'll luck out and one hearty stropping session would erase the error.
@Citizen_Se7en10 жыл бұрын
TheSuperior Shave Thanks for your prompt response. Regards, Chuck
@brooklynproduction7 жыл бұрын
Stropping nice :) but //// Which one the best?
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
Vintage horse shell strops in ideal condition are to me the greatest strops that were ever made. Good luck finding them, and I will be bidding with you if you do :-) They are so good it is worth trying to buy old beat up pieces with bad pictures for low bid, get some fine sandpapers and saddle soap and vegetable oil, see if you can revive them. From modern production 1) any Horween cordovan shell 2) Dovo "XL" is tremendous calfhide.
@brooklynproduction7 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much for the detailed answer!
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Horse-Hide-Barber-Strop-Illinois-Razor-963-Indian-Pony-Shell-Cordovan-/253027483396?hash=item3ae99cff04:g:5GYAAOSwcj5ZVJRo I have one of these exact strops and it is absolutely fantastic(nothing like the modern crap from Illinois), though this one looks like a LOT of work to make perfect again I do believe from those pictures that that piece can successfully be revived via sandpaper, saddle soap, and vegetable oil.
@evangaudet7 жыл бұрын
It seems that you're using a kamisori style razor. As someone that's looking at buying a SE razor soon, why do you prefer a kamisori over a traditional folding blade?
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
No, these are not kamisori razors. They're regular Western type razors. Kamisoris have some advantages (exotic steels, maximum bevel acuity) and disadvantages (handling is not ambidextrous and honing is atypical), but personally I prefer the Western razor due to being able to master it equally with my left hand.
@evangaudet7 жыл бұрын
What's your opinion on Grim Blades aka The Blades Grim?
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
I'm sorry to report that the examples of this brand which have come to our shop for rehoning have been universally terrible, and I doubt there is a lower quality USA-made modern straight razor...while I'd hope what we've seen was very old attempts, they shouldn't have let their name on them out the door, and the sample size is large enough that I doubt they only represent the earliest productions.
@steveh6612 Жыл бұрын
On average how often do you need to strop? After 1 shave 5 shaves? I understand it probably depends on how the razor is cutting, but on average?
@thesuperiorshave Жыл бұрын
it should be performed just prior to each shave
@justinjones82785 жыл бұрын
Will this work for swords
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
they will not have an angle at the bevel plane which corresponds to holding them flush to the leather, the body of the sword will need to be held off of the leather to some degree (which will vary depending upon the sword's bevel's grind)
@swampratsrants5015 жыл бұрын
@@thesuperiorshave what about a knife? There is a KZbin video reviewing the Ontario air Force survival knife where I think the man uses a strop. I have the same knife and would love to be even near the edge he put on it in that video. And will plain old leather and cloth work?
@seanblanch79864 жыл бұрын
You shave with a sword??? 🤔🤦🏼♂️
@andy.w4 жыл бұрын
@@seanblanch7986 very damn manly
@mafelay8 жыл бұрын
Hi, I want to purchase a straight razor for my bf and I have no idea about this. Which razor and strop do yo recommend?
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
if he has real thick fingertips, this razor; www.thesuperiorshave.com/straight_razors_dovo_bismarck_26810.html if normal size fingertips, any "polished" razor you see here, all shave is same you're just picking wood type(and stainless/regular, get regular unless he can't be bothered to keep his razor bone dry after use); www.thesuperiorshave.com/straight_razors_ntssolingen.html I am partial to snakewood, but look over the pcs, maybe some other wood we have a really nice specimen? this is best first strop to me; www.thesuperiorshave.com/strops_herold155.html Don't buy anything made in Pakistan.
@markgrevatt48678 жыл бұрын
i contacted a company based in the uk. but found him to be unhelpful and not interested in giving me his opinion on my questions. which has really put me off on purchasing amything from there company . i was prepared to make a purchase but seeing he showed no interest and cant be bothered attitude i certainly wont be going to him for my first straight razor. i know the purchase is quit high at the very beginning for a novice im just sick of spending money on those cheap nasty throw away razors . im sure in the end the investment will pay for itself in the long run. But would like to know on the option of whats better the dovo , boker or thiers issard . your advice would be greatly appreciated.. by the way i live across the pond in the uk hope your having a great Christmas with your family . happy holidays
@thesuperiorshave8 жыл бұрын
I'd recommend Dovo's models 'Dovo Special', 'Pearlex', 'Diamant', "Gentleman', "Forestal', or 'Carpe Diem' (all same razor just looks/scales varies).
@psyswordrizvi1314 жыл бұрын
It’s not about the money. I think I have spent a thousand dollars on German and soon French cutthroat razors. By no means if you develop a passion for them.
@PEPPERS7777 жыл бұрын
are these straps mandatory for owning a decent razor? or can i achieve a good enough outcome with wet stones and stuff like that
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
unfortunately a straight razor will require a strop for daily use, honing and stropping are two different things
@Chad-ej5ue4 жыл бұрын
I tried over and over and my razor just isnt getting sharp. What am i doing wrong
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
I would first question the steel/temper, and if you are sure that is fine, think about the angle of approach of your sharpening medium; kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXO7iJh3adCijpI
@Gollammeister4 жыл бұрын
Good pointers
@BlakcNinja2 жыл бұрын
I use a cheap razor with a disposable blade setup. Should I consider stropping it to increase the life of each one?
@thesuperiorshave2 жыл бұрын
no
@sveinerlingbjerkestrand24587 жыл бұрын
where can i buy stuff like this? its so interesting :)
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
www.thesuperiorshave.com/strops.html
@jimf19647 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the info. Good to get advice from someone who knows. I have a question though. I've seen several videos in this, but no one explains what it means by the strop communicating. What sounds and feelings are you looking for and why?
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
I guess some sense imparted to your ears and fingertips as to the improvement of the edge condition? When they're really good you will detect tactile vibrations and acoustic queues which indicate the edge's bevel plane is being extended at its microscopically-frayed edge best, and in time via stropping on various pieces you'll be able to detect which of these sounds/feelings impart this and which do not.
@jimf19647 жыл бұрын
The Superior Shave thank you so much for responding! So I guess what you're telling me is that you can't tell me, but I just have to learn from experience? I'm using a board while waiting for my strop to arrive, but I don't feel or hear anything. I do notice a loud "ripping paper" sound when I lift the spine off the leather. I just can't get it quite as good as when I bought it from a guy who reconditions them, and even builds from scratch. But I guess that's to be expected from a beginner.
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
Exactly. I'm sure, given my wordsmithing, with a bit more time to chew on the notion of what it is, I can describe it somewhat. Yes, stropping well takes some time. You should at least be chasing a higher pitched sound for any two attempts at the same speed and stropping medium; this would indicate that the higher-pitched one's touching lighter, and extending the little "fin" of metal shards to the maximum distance from the spine, as opposed to merely bending it back towards the direction above the stropping plane if using too much pressure.
@jimf19647 жыл бұрын
The Superior Shave thanks again. Just to be sure, no matter what pressure, sound, etc...the spine should always be in contact with the strop though, right? Like I should never lift the spine off the leather to change the angle, but use the pressure on the strop with the spine to get the right angle. Just like honing, the spine sets the angle. Is that correct? Or is it ok to lift the spine a little to the desired angle?
@thesuperiorshave7 жыл бұрын
Correct; never to touch the edge w/o strop in simultaneous contact with the spine. Spine dictates angle; ideal pressure creates best results within the restriction of the one angle choice.
@v3rflucht375 жыл бұрын
Good info
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
thank you!
@yanli485812 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@bluelinenj9 жыл бұрын
thanks man!
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+bluelinenj thanks for watching, this humble lil' video's good for a McDonald's meal a month because of the kindness of folks like you! :-)
@toekneedoovila61466 жыл бұрын
Dr. Matt sent me! Great video!
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
thanks
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
Mist3r CJ; yes, eventually you'll need to hone somehow, either with a whestone or by stropping upon surfaces which are embedded with steel-cutting mediums.
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
This is the strop I find best for new users, www.thesuperiorshave.com/strops_herold155.html You ONLY need a razor and a strop, all the rest can wait. Dry thoroughly after use and wipe down with thin coat of non-food oil, like mineral oil, to prevent rust. When you reach the point that you say to yourself, "I remember this shaving me better a couple days ago" it is time to buy and use a hone.
@t1n5144 жыл бұрын
How did i jump from sweeney todd to learning how to strop a razor at 3am...
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
it's the YT suggestor algorithm...my new best friend... he/she/it/they's the only one who knows me better than I know myself! If HSITYT tells me I'm gonna like it, mofo's always right. Dude's straight up annoying at parties, when hsit drinks hsit likes to tell evry1 what they like, but for free, just to prove they're always right. That's why I tell my friends to stay off the you tube. Happy New Year!
@Aaron83W4 жыл бұрын
Hi Is there really a difference in strops, in terms of the shave? Will a $20 strop do the same job as a $300 strop? I’ve tried a few different strips ranging from average price to a $300 strop and I’ve not really noticed any difference .
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
You pay for quality of life issues mostly, the feedback (touch sense to your fingertips holding the tang and the sounds) and the appearance, but if a blind hand would say that your leather is smooth to the touch and uniform in its feeling, so too will the razor appreciate it. Unfortunately, most of the strops tanned in PK/CN are simply not that smooth and supple. I would say on extremely hollow razors that I feel a horse shell strop makes the first stroke or two of the shave feel extra special, but until I put that to a double blind experiment I shall chalk that up to internal bias.
@jessimessi803 жыл бұрын
Do you have to use a stone first?
@thesuperiorshave3 жыл бұрын
It depends upon what condition the cutting edge was in. But once properly prepared (the cutting edge), no.
@CoenieB12 жыл бұрын
Awesome, thanx man
@marisolalvarez66599 жыл бұрын
sorry I'm confused do you need all three?? I bought one that is similar to the middle
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+Marisol Alvarez You only need one strop, Marisol.
@justinbillings87829 жыл бұрын
this way is easier for me too.. like you said my brain just doesn't want to do it the recommended way haha
@thesuperiorshave9 жыл бұрын
+Justin Billings Trust me, I've been sending out THOUSANDS of str8rzrs stropped on 2" wide strops and without using the 'perfect X'...it does NOT make a "shelf" or anything of the sort. The razor & your face won't know the difference.
@pederhalverson25915 жыл бұрын
I’ve searched high & low and can’t find a Walkin’ Horse strop anywhere nor is there a site for them. Is Trey still making? Gorgeous strop though 👌🏻
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
long gone, sorry. Horween horsebutts and cordovan-tanned shells, but anyone w/ horsebutt or shell hides is a great strop
@allann9686 жыл бұрын
I surely appreciate this!
@thesuperiorshave4 жыл бұрын
thank u
@Labios_Rotos6 жыл бұрын
This is complicated it almost isn't worth it to make the switch from disposable gillete razors. What is the benefit of a straight razor? In other comments you mentioned you're not sharpening the blade with the leather, then what exactly are you doing? What is the lifetime of a straight razor? I'd imagine the blades have to be sharpened, how and how often? Do they need to be sanitized after each use? etc. etc.... is there a guide to start shaving with this non-traditional way?!
@thesuperiorshave6 жыл бұрын
Correct, no sharpening via stropping, if sharpening is defined as removing steel as to make a new {possibly finer?} cutting edge. Stropping only realigns the tiny metal shards all to be as far away from the spine of blade as possible. Too many variables to define how quickly and how often the resharpening must occur - it is a very fragile item, as fragile as an edge of aluminum foil (and as thin!) If all goes well, you can only strop for several months of regular use. A blade used only on yourself is not introduced any new bloodborne pathogens if only your tissue has interacted with the blade. A straight razor is for personal use. If buying used, the bare minimum you should do is douse blade with isopropyl alcohol. We use a straight razor by preference not only for the results, but for the enjoyment of the process. Here is an excellent guide; www.dovo.com/pdf/dovo_bro_leitfaden_rasur_EN.pdf
@eewweeppkk6 жыл бұрын
As he said, the stropping is more for realigning the tiny edge of the blade from shaving. You don't need to sharpen them very often at all and resharpening a blade might cost you $40 or so if you don't learn yourself. As for the advantages I'd say there are objective and subjective advantages. As far as subjective goes, a lot of people really enjoy it. A lot of people who start using straight razors or wet shaving in general say it goes from being a chore and pain the butt in the morning to a relaxing part of their daily routine instead. They enjoy sitting down and having a nice shave. As for the objective benefits? Its the cleanest shave you can possibly get and it can be a heck of a lot cheaper than cartridges or even disposables. There are only 2 recurring costs and that is with face soaps and sharpening. If you get a sharpening stone and learn yourself, then all you have to do is buy the soap. Straight razors are more expensive than cartridge razors up front, but as for the lifetime you asked about? People resell razors from when before safety razors were invented to this day. The other day I saw one for sale that was first produced in the 1870s and had undergone a few maintenance changes through the early 1900s, for about $20. If you take care of your blades, they'll be good enough to shave your grandkids.
@Dghost916 жыл бұрын
As a safety razor user. I must say that disposable razors don't give a good shave and the oldschool method of Safety and straight razor shaving is better economically and environmentally. Shaving with a straight or Safety razor is more about a great quality shave and saving in the long run. As one said its pride in your work and a great shave. That's what its about!
@matthewolivier28835 жыл бұрын
Just get a safety razor if you dont want to strop
@ianboard5445 жыл бұрын
I use one now and again. The reasons (what is the benefit?): When it works, it works very very well. There is something almost zen about the experience. You're focused, relaxed. It turns something you have to do into a pleasant experience. I like doing things myself: I fix my own cars, most of the stuff around the house. It's just a richer experience: I've learned a lot about metallurgy, skin, etc... I have also bought old razors on ebay and restored them- there is something satisfying about using something that was made in the 1920's and having it perform really well. It's about as renewable as you can get - you don't throw anything away. A straight razor, properly maintained will last multiple generations. The really good straight razors, even from long ago, were the pinnacle of metallurgy and craftsmanship. Like samurai swords. We're in way too much of a hurry. And to do what? Check your phone for the 10000th time during the day. Inefficient? Inconvenient? - That's the point. We're turning into a society of users, who don't understand (or be able to fix) the things we use. If this is silly, then so is growing your own vegetables, mowing your own lawn, fixing your own car, etc... I work in high technology - sometimes it's nice to retreat to 100 years ago. The short answer about stropping is that it realigns the edge and doesn't remove metal. The longer answer is that some think that there is actually very slow flow of metal towards the edge, that on a microscopic level it reshapes the edge. You do have to re-hone the blade periodically (maybe a couple of times a year). Sanitizing - I just wipe it with alcohol..
@sinpac61615 жыл бұрын
For the confused out there. This is not sharpening. You are only taming the bur.
@thesuperiorshave5 жыл бұрын
There's not really a 'burr' on straight razors, but the idea is much the same - there's an end line where the metal becomes thin and frayed if you examine it at a high enough magnification, stropping is taking all of these tiny bits and moving them to be shaped so as to be as far from the spine as possible.
@rowanfernsler97254 жыл бұрын
Kind of. You’re doing much more than just removing a small burr. Remember, it’s called a STRAIGHT razor for a reason. Stropping helps to reform the edge and keep it shaving sharp.