Before Shaving
Before you start shaving, you begin by stropping your straight razor. To do this, you:
- Rub your hand over the belt to clean it of dust and dirt.
- Place your straight razor with back and blade gently on the tightly tensioned strop belt and pull the straight razor in the direction of the back of the blade without applying much pressure.
- Keep the strop tight; otherwise, you could damage the cutting edge.
- When you have reached the end of the strop, turn the straight razor over on its back and start the procedure with the other side.
After 10-15 turns, your straight razor is ready for a gentle shave.
After Shaving
To remove leather residue and cut hair from your straight razor, rinse it with warm water. Now carefully dab the straight razor dry with a soft cloth.
Please be careful not to touch the cutting edge. Otherwise, you could damage the microscopic burr at the cutting edge.
We recommend that you store the straight razor in a well-ventilated place, as this is the best way to protect the metal from tarnishing or oxidation. Since the burr of the straight razor bends slightly during shaving, leave the straight razor to rest for 48 hours. During this time, the burr can realign itself.
Rub the blade with an acid-free oil such as a camellia or paraffin oil if you’re not going to shave in near future.
Learn more in our post on caring for and sharpening a straight razor.
