Most people find a process of stropping razor blades that works for them but it’s a good idea to start with a few general tips. Be careful not to slip and run the blade side-to-side, as this could result in you cutting yourself.

Once every few weeks, swirl the razor blade around in some rubbing alcohol to kill any contaminants. To rectify these tiny tears and bends in the metal, people use stropping material to remove ragged burrs and re-align the misshapen steel back into place. If you don’t have anything else around, another option is to use materials like canvas or any old pair of blue jeans. Becuase razor blades are made of such fine pieces of steel, they wear out more quickly than other sharp household appliances, such as kitchen knives.These remain in the public domain, although the rest of the accompanying blog post is covered by the CC-BY-NC-SA license. There are hanging strops (leather with handles at each end), loom strops (leather wrapped in a loop around wood), or paddle strops (leather attached to a block of wood). Your goal is to apply just enough pressure to straighten out the nearly microscopic imperfections in the steel without bending the shape of the blade as a whole.

This process is the exact same if you’re using a whetstone or sharpening stone—just soak a whetstone in water before using it.This will work with any kind of razor, although it’s an especially efficient way to sharpen straight razors and eyebrow razors. If you don’t disinfect your razor every now and then, all kinds of germs and bacteria can sit on the edge of the blade and dull it over time.