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Chamois Strop

rbscebu

rbscebu

Mr. Strop
After each shave, I have normally given my SR about 6 to 8 very light laps on a clean denim strop to clean the edge. Over time I have been starting to feel that this denim might he a little harsh on my delicate edges. I then had an idea. I had some new clean natural chamois in my kit so I thought about making a chamois strop.

Chamois is not strong enough on its own to be a use able strop so, having a spare denim strop lying around, I decided to bond the chamois to this denim strop. First I cut the chamois to the required size. I then applied two coats of rubber (contact) glue to the denim (due to its porosity) and one coat to the chamois. After leaving them for about 30 minutes, I then bonded the chamois to the denim. I then had a very good chamois strop.

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Since performing this little exercise, I have been very happy with the results, both the strop and the effect it is having on my SR edges.
 
After using my chamois strop for a while to clean my SR edges, I started to wonder how pre-shave stropping would go using the chamois strop rather than my normal clean leather strop. I have two identical spare SR's in my collection so last week I honed them up to about the same level of shave quality.

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I have now marked the tail of one of these SR's with black nail polish. That will be the SR that gets clean chamois strop maintenance only. The other will be stropped on clean leather only before each shave. The routine will now be:
  • Strop 60 laps on clean leather or chamois strop (depending on the SR)
  • Shave
  • Wipe blade dry using toilet paper (not touching the edge)
  • 6 to 8 very light laps on clean chamois strop to clean the edge
  • Oil blade and put away
I expect that it will take quite a few weeks to determine if their is a difference between the shaves using these two SR's. If I discover a difference, I will report back here.
 
After about 15 shaves with each of my test SR's, there was no discernable difference between stropping on clean leather verses stropping on chamois.

I will keep the chamois strop in use to clean my SR edges after each shave.

Where I have found the chamois strop to shine is when using shavettes. It is great for maintaining the edge on my Feather blades that I use in my shavette. I give the edge about 20 to 30 laps on chamois after each shave and I'm getting about 3 to 4 times the normal life out of a Feather edge.
 
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