To Strop Razors.—Comparatively few persons seem to understand the theory of stropping a razor. The cutting edge of a razor should be in the form of a V, the sides of the V being perfectly flat and not round. The object of honing to produce this angle, and that of stropping, is to keep the edge perfect in overcoming its tendency to become round as a result of wear. The strop, therefore, should be held in such a way that the leather will bear with equal pressure on every part of the straight sides of the V which terminates in the edge. Barbers are able by constant prac tice to hold a loose strop in such a way as to accomplish this purpose with little apparent effort, but nov ices are very apt to allow the strop to move and to strike it with the ra zor in such a way as to round the edge, and do more harm by strop ping than good. Hence a novice will usually accomplish the best results by means of a strop glued flat on a piece of wood. The razor should be stropped carefully both before and after using until it will cut a hair held loosely in the fingers, and before it is put away in its case it should be wiped dry with a clean, dry towel. If any moisture is left on the edge the steel will rust and may be ruined.
Much of the satisfaction of the use of an ordinary razor depends upon the strop and its condition. If the strop is purchased, only the best quality should be obtained, and it is better to prepare a paste for the strop than to buy a preparation for this purpose, as many of those adver tised for sale are entirely unreliable.
Razor Strop.—A good razor strop may be made at home by anyone having a little ingenuity which will give at least as good satisfaction as the purchased article. Take a piece of hard wood about 15 inches long, I inches wide, and i• inch thick. Al low 3 inches or more for handle. Se lect a piece of horsehide or calfskin the width of the wood, and notch the wood to the depth of the leather at about inch from the handle, so that the leather can be set in flush with the surface of the wood. Attach a piece of canvas to the other side, and the strop is done. The razor should be stropped first on the canvas and afterwards on the leather.
To Keep a Razor Strop in Order. —Various methods of keeping a strop in order are recommended. Fine mutton tallow or a few drops of sweet oil rubbed into the surface of the strop and a little very fmely powdered emery dusted over the sur face is perhaps the most satisfactory dressing. The snuffings of candle wicks in place of the emery are also recommended. Other recipes for ra zor paste are suggested below.
Preparations for Razor Strops.— The articles used for giving an edge to a razor are flour of emery, ground coke, and oxide of tin or prepared putty. Any of the following will be found more satisfactory than most preparations on sale, and a great deal cheaper: Mix fine flour of emery with mut ton tallow or white wax or beeswax. If the emery is not fine enough, pound and grind it in a mortar. Put the whole into a large open-mouthed bottle, fill it two thirds full of water, cork, and shake. Allow it to come to
rest, and when the coarser particles have fallen to the bottom, turn off the water with the finer particles into a shallow pan. When the water has evaporated, the emery dust remain ing will be found of suitable fineness.
Or collect the grit from a fine grindstone as it gathers in the form of paste on the blade of an ax or scythe. Shake in water, and treat as above suggested for emery. If the quality of the grindstone is suitable, this will prove an excellent razor paste, Or mix 1 ounce of levigated oxide of tin or prepared putty with a satu rated solution of oxalic acid to form a thick paste. If convenient, add 20 grains of gum arabic dissolved in water. Rub this composition evenly over the strop and let it dry. Damp en slightly before using. Oxalic acid has a strong affinity for iron, which is, of course, increased by moisture, and very slight friction with this preparation will give a razor a good edge.
Or coke prepared as above recom mended for emery is said to be the true " diamond dust " for sharpen ing purposes. The above prepara tions, the materials of which cost practically nothing, are often sold at from twenty-five to fifty cents a box.
Or melt togetheg equal parts of good tallow and lard, thicken with finely powdered charcoal, make into cakes, wrap in tinfoil, and sell for ten cents. To color red and to thick en, use princess metallic, such as painters use.
To improve the quality, get a little olive oil and thicken it with the me tallic in one box. In another box put a little of the oil and thicken with charcoal. Put the red on one side of the strop and the black on the other side. First strop on the black side, then finish on the red side.
Barber's Itch.—This disease is sup posed to be caused by a microscopic fungus, the trichophyton. The symp toms are the appearance of small red pimples with yellow tops, each of which is pierced by a hair. The dis ease often takes a chronic form and sometimes causes the skin to become hard and covered with crusts. There is another type which is not caused by the presence of the trichophyton, but it is difficult to tell one from the other. It is desirable in this disease to keep the beard shaved, wash thor oughly with soap, and use simple ointments and soothing solutions. The disease is very obstinate, and it is always advisable to consult a phy sician.
Lewis's Toilet Water for Shav ing.—The' following is recommended as a cheap and agreeable toilet water to use as a face wash after shaving: Fill any size bottle you wish with 95 per cent alcohol, and add as much boracic acid as the alcohol will cut, usually about 15 per cent. If a little of the boracic acid is not dissolved and settles at the bottom of the mix ture, it will not do any harm. Add a few drops of any of the essential oils, or perfume with cologne or otherwise according to taste. This mixture is not only soothing and refreshing, but it also assists in healing any local ir ritation caused by shaving. It is es pecially useful to those who shave every day.