Stropping an Enders Speed Blade

Because the Enders Speed Blade was a bit tuggy in today's shave, I decided to strop it to see if I could improve its performance. Here is what I did.

Enders Speed Blade Haul

I got these blades from a guy on Badger & Blade. He had come into a whole box of the blades and wanted to pif them for the postage, so I opted to get four packs for $6. These blades are Enders, but they have no markings. When I tried to load one into one of my razors, I had trouble and actually broke off one of the "ears."  As it turns out others who had gotten these blades have had similar problems. As we look at them more closely, it appears that there is  a bit of extra material on the edges of the blade. I used a stone and honed down the edges a bit and the blade went in with no problem.

Update: 26 Aug 2019

I had my first shave with one of these blades. It was a bit tuggy, so I decided to strop it to see if it would improve the shave. We shall see.
Here is today's shave.

Here is the stropping.

Craftsman Strop II

Clasp before cleaning.

I put a hook under the sink counter so I can hang the strop for stropping.

After cleaning.

Before and after.

Craftsman Strop

I won this Craftsman Strop in the TSD Raffle recently. It is pretty old for sure.

I Am a Winner

The Shave Den is running a raffle, and I got picked as one of the winners. I chose this Sears & Roebuck Craftsman strop for my prize. 

Some New Woods

Sparrow on TSD sent me two pieces of Japanese Horse Chestnut wood to make into brush handles.

Charlie on TSD sent me a box of cut offs from the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum. I am going to see if I can craft some brush handles from them.

He is also getting out of straight shaving, and he very generously included his Drygulch Leatherworks 2.5" Barber's Strop with Latigo.

Drygulch 3-Inch Strop

Adam, the owner of Drygulch Leatherworks on Esty, sent me a straight razor loaner set consisting of two straights and a very nice 3 inch strop. After getting hooked on straights, I sought advice from him about getting a strop, and I asked if he would be interested in selling me the strop from the loaner set. We agreed on a price, and I am now the happy owner of a Drygulch 3-inch strop. I asked him for information on the strop, and this is what he sent me.

The leather on that is Chromexcel Horsehide. It is tanned in Chicago by the Horween tannery. I think I am the only company making a strop from it. The hemp linen webbing is made in Europe. The stropping surface on the strop is 18x3 inches. You should also be able to put some paste on the back of the leather rather than getting a strop just for paste. Both the leather and linen on that strop are well broken in, and should have many more years in them. 

Straight razor loaner set from Adam at Drygulch Leatherworks.

 The leather is Chromexcel Horsehide. The hemp linen webbing is made in Europe. 

Now, I am waiting on my H. Böker 5/8 straight to come home from California where it went for a restoration and honing.