This video was very helpful for me. I put a small hook from the hardware store in underneath just as demonstrated. I have the same brand of strop as well. It's a great setup. I was terrified to strop at first, thinking I was going to ruin my strop but as long as you take your time, you will be fine.
Lynn your videos combined with the group that has assembled over on SRP make an amazing team heading into the adventures or SR shaving. Can't wait for my razor to get here.
I think if you just rub your palm up and down on the strop until your palm feels warm on a daily basis, that your strop will break in nicely and stay in good shape. If the strop starts to dry out, you can always use some neatsfoot oil on it, but use it sparingly.
Hello Lynn. Ive been wanting to get a razor and supplies for some time. I looked up how to vids and have watched a few of your vids and love them. I told my wife and she called around a bunch of places and found me one at a local pawn shop. Its a an H.Boker & Co. Waldof. Im almost too scared to use it, because its in great shape to be from the 1920's. No rust or pits and sharp I was wondering if you know any references to look it up and if you ever used one and your thoughts on the razor itself?
For me one stroke equals one time up and back on the strop. I think it is important to strop prior to every shave. Some people strop after to help clean the blade from any remaining soap or residue from the shave. Never get the scales wet when using the razor. Oil is good if you will not be using the razor for awhile or if you live in an area of high humidity.
Coupe of questions. Do you recommend stroping before or after shaving or does it not matter? Also, pending the answer to question 1, is it necessarily a good idea to oil the blade after? And finally, when you say 40-60 strokes do you mean actually 80-120 strokes total, 40-60 each side? Thanks.
The Waldorf is a top notch Boker razor. Beautiful and a great shaver. Strop it up and try to shave with it. If it works, awesome. If not, get it honed and you should love this razor. I have owned a couple of these and they really are nice razors.
Excellent video Lynn! Very informative and helpful. On a side note, as I was admiring your beautiful collection of brushes, I was curious and would love to know what brush you have sitting to the right of the soap dish in what seems to be a Butterscotch handle?
Just take a little mink oil or leather conditioner and rub it into the strop. I think Lynn recommends neatsfoot oil or just rubbing the palm of your hand up and down on the strop till it warms up and absorbs the oils from your hand.
In my experience, saddle soap is used more as a cleaner followed by neatsfoot oil if necessary. For normal maintenance, I usually just rub my palm up and down the strop until my palm feels warm and then strop my razor daily before shaving.
I was thinking of making my own strop from a three inch wide by 24" long strip of vegetable tanned buffalo hide (finished on one side). Cant' see why it wouldn't be OK?
So I just recently bought a strop and before I went to use it for the first time, I noticed that it is not flat, across... The edges are raised, it's as if it is curled from side to side. Is this something I should worry about? If so, how to I get the strop nice and flat?
I bought it from Straight Razor Designs... Its not seriously or grossly curled, just not nice and flat, I could be over reacting too... I think it may be that it is dry, we have had dry weather in our area lately, What sort of oil do you recommend for it? And by the way... I watch many of your videos and buy all my stuff from SRD, THANKS!!!
John McDermott Didn't see that. Send me an email at lynn@straightrazordesigns.com with a pic or two and let's see what's up. We can always replace it if needed. Thanks.
John McDermott - I noticed the same thing with mine. My solution was to grab the edges with my hand, ...like a handlebar, which bent the centre upwards slightly, and ran my hand up, & down the leather. This made the middle protrude up. Then, just run your palm up & down to warm it up. That fixed mine
You can try that but really clean the strop after to make sure you get everything off it and then a little oil and or a ton of palm rubbing. You may still feel the nick however when stropping. Make sure you don’t ruin your edge depending on how much damage you had to fix. Good luck.
Lots of alternatives. You can use a shoe string, or piece of leather or part of a hanger or what every you have and anchor on a door know, towel rack, hinge....etc. Then there is always the Paddle alternative. Have fun.
