How to Strop a Straight Razor

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 16, 2023 References

Straight razors have to be kept incredibly sharp to shave effectively. That’s why you’ll often see barbers running straight razors along a leather strap, known as a strop. While the strap version is most popular, you can also find strops in paddle or loom form. They’re used essentially the same way, only the grip is different. Usually you’ll use a leather strop before a shave, while cloth on the opposite side is used after the shave to rid the blade of moisture.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Stropping Before the Shave

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Acquire a strop. These are relatively simple to get. You can get cheaper models from general stores online. These might cost you anything from $5 to $25. If you’ve been using a straight razor for a while, you’ll want to invest in a strop that will last longer. You can get these from stores that sell straight razors. These will usually by at least $50.
- There are three types of strops. The most common type is the straight strop, which is a strap that you hang up. The paddle strop is essentially a wooden paddle with a piece of leather attached to it. Loom strops are similar to paddle strops, except the leather runs around a wooden frame like a drumskin rather than being attached.
2
Hang up one end of the strop and hold it tautly towards you. You should hold the strop so it points downwards and towards you at about a 45 degree angle. This makes stropping the straight razor simpler and makes you less likely to cut into the leather (especially if you’re a beginner.)^{[1]
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- The specific location of the anchor point doesn’t really matter; you just need to make sure it won’t move while you strop. Examples of a good anchor point include door handles and towel bars.
- If you’re using a paddle or loom strop, you’ll instead want to lay one end of it on a stable surface. Hold the handle and lift so the strop is at about a 30 degree angle.^{[2]
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3
Slide the razor along the strop, away from you. The blade’s spine should be pointing away from you and the edge toward you. You should keep the blade lifted slightly, so the edge is making contact with the strop at a slight angle. Use light pressure as you push the razor away from you.^{[3]
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4
Flip the razor over at the end of the strop. Once you’ve reached the end of the strop, flip the razor so the spine is now pointing towards you. Try to make sure the blade is always touching the strop as you roll the razor between your fingers to flip it. It takes some practice, but eventually this will make stropping the razor quicker and more efficient.^{[4]
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5
Bring the razor toward you. Pull the razor, spine first, toward the bottom of the strop. Don’t use any more pressure than you did on your way up the strop. Maintain a slight angle with the razor, so the edge makes contact with the leather the whole way down.
- Once you reach the bottom of the strop, flip the razor and and bring it back up the strop. Repeat this stroke for 10-15 more passes.
- Some people suggest passing the razor over the strop’s preparation side first. This side is usually cloth or canvas. If you decide to do so, you’ll use the same kind of stroke, about 10-15 times.^{[5]
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6
Use an X pattern on two inch (5cm) strops. These models typically aren’t wide enough to cover the razor’s blade. This means that, as you slide your razor up and down the strop, you’ll also need to slide it sideways to cover the entire blade. The simplest method involves moving the blade towards your right as you push it away from you, and towards the left when you bring the razor back.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Stropping After the Shave

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Give the razor a quick rinse. While stropping will help remove excess moisture, you don’t want to soak your strop in water and shaving cream. Pass the razor under warm tap water until all shaving cream has been rinsed away. Shake excess water off of the razor.^{[6]
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Flip the strop to the cloth side and hold it tautly. You want to avoid using the strop’s leather side after a shave. This can cause metal chips to break off of the blade and embed themselves in the strop. This will make the strop rougher and can damage your blade.^{[7]
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Place the razor at the bottom of the strop. The edge should be facing towards you, the spine away from you. Hold the razor at an angle, no more than 15 degrees, so the edge rests against the strop.^{[8]
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Push the razor away from you, toward the top of the strop. Glide the razor lightly; too much pressure and you’ll cut into the strop. Cuts and nicks in the strop will prevent your razor from gliding well.^{[9]
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5
Flip the razor at the top of the strop. Roll the razor in your fingers, flipping the blade upwards and away from you. The edge should end up facing away from you, while the spine will now be pointed toward you. Hold the razor at a slight angle.^{[10]
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6
Bring the razor back down the strop. Using a similar motion as before, slide the razor back towards you, keeping the edge angled against the strop. This will get any moisture or small hairs off of the edge and onto the cloth.
- Repeat this back and forth motion about 10 more times.

Warnings

Strop slowly if you’re a beginner. The last thing you want is for the razor to slide off the strop and into your hand.

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