INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A traditional strop is made of leather, but an old pair of jeans will work almost as well. You should use old jeans as opposed to new jeans or jeans you wear regularly. You'll be using the cloth to rejuvenate the blades on your safety razor, but doing this could cause the fabric of your jeans to fray or deteriorate over time. Use old jeans so you don't do damage to a good pair of jeans! A table or the counter top of your bathroom sink should be suitable as a sharpening surface. Clear the area first; an uneven surface could negatively impact your sharpening, and clutter might obstruct your sharpening motion. You should also make sure the area is dry when using this sharpening technique. For the best results, you'll want to sharpen your blade when it's dry. This can be done in a cup of warm, soapy water. Dish soap should work well for busting up any razor gunk that's accumulated on your blades. For best results, you may want to allow your razor to soak for 15 to 30 minutes, swirling your razor in the water occasionally. You might also use a specifically formulated razor blade cleaning solution. These are designed to work especially well on skin and hair buildup. Explore the shaving section of your local pharmacy or online vendors to find a razor blade cleaning solution. You can remove much of the excess moisture from your razor by holding it firmly and shaking it into the basin of your sink. Then, to ensure the blade is completely dry, you should use a cloth to wipe away remaining moisture. Do this by running your razor along the cloth with a motion that follows the direction of the blades. To prevent fuzz or lint from building up, you might consider using a lint-free or microfiber cloth to dry your razor. You'll want to do this with the direction of the blades and not against the blades. Do this about approximately 20 times in one direction with short, quick strokes. This process, called stropping, will remove burrs and irregularities from your blades, honing your razor's edge.  To evenly and completely strop your blades, you'll want perform the same motion in the opposite direction (on the same section of denim) as well. Switch directions and run the blade along the jean fabric around 20 times in the same fashion you did previously.  Use light pressure when stropping. Pressing too hard can actually cause damage to the edge of your blade. Be careful while doing this; you don't want to cut yourself while sharpening! Use moderate pressure and run the blades of your razor along the straight part of the top of your forearm with the direction of the blades and not against. Use quick, short strokes, and perform this motion about 10 - 15 times.  Your arm is very similar to an old fashioned leather strop, which is a piece of leather used for sharpening blades. In the same way a strop sharpens a blade, so should your arm.  Since you are running your razor with the blades and not against, your safety razor shouldn't cut the hair on your forearm. Be careful not to slip and run the blade side-to-side, as this could result in you cutting yourself. Especially dull blades might require more strokes for best results. With the same motion you used for your first stropping, run your blades along the jeans with and not against the direction of the blades. Use light pressure and short, quick strokes for roughly 20 strokes, running your razor back and forth along the jeans, always in the same direction of the blades.

SUMMARY: Gather a pair of old jeans for sharpening. Place your jeans on a flat, clear, sturdy surface. Clean your razor blade. Dry your razor completely. Run your razor along your jeans. Run your razor along your forearm for jeans-less stropping. Strop your razor again for very dull blades.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: In some cases, such as a contract for the private sale of personal items, the other party to the contract should have a copy. However, if the contract is an employment or sales contract with a large company, determining who exactly has the contract can be more difficult. Here are some guidelines to help you determine who has the contract.   If the other party to the contract is an individual, he or she should have the original agreement with both of your signatures. If a company or organization is the other party to the contract, you will need to find the appropriate person within the organization who is likely to have a copy of the contract. The company’s Human Resource (“HR”) or Legal Department would be a logical place to start. If there is no HR or Legal department, or you cannot locate a phone number for the individual department, simply call the company’s general number. Whomever answers the phone should be able to tell you which department retains copies of executed company contracts, and direct your call accordingly. Start by looking through your personal paperwork to see if you have records showing contact information for the person or business with whom you signed the contract. Next, look in the telephone book or online for specific contact information, such as a mailing address, phone number, or email address. Social media sites are another potential source of contact information. If you have the correct contact information, it will be easier to contact the person or business with whom you signed the contract. The type of request will depend on to whom it is directed. For example, if you personally know the party who has the contract, a phone call may be the most appropriate type of request. A request directed to a large company may call for a formal letter. What follows should help you decide what type of request is most appropriate.  Telephone. For many contract requests, directly calling the person who has the contract is best. If you know the person who has the contract and you have a phone number for him or her, a telephone request may be the most appropriate. E-mail. If you are unable to reach the person holding the contract by telephone, or you do not have a direct number to him or her, you may want to send a formal email requesting a copy of the contract. Ask that a signed copy be mailed or e-mailed to you and provide your mailing address or e-mail address. Letter. If the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), a government agency such as the military, or a large company has the contract, you may wish to write a formal letter requesting a copy of it. Do not send a letter to a government agency by certified mail, as the agency generally will not sign for it. You may wish to enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope in order to ensure that a copy is mailed to you. In person. If e-mail, telephone, and/or written requests are unsuccessful, you may wish to visit the person’s office or place of business personally in order to request a copy of the contract. If the person accepts appointments, call and make an appointment. Otherwise, visit him or her at their office or place of business and be prepared to wait until he or she is free to see you. Online. Depending on the type of contract, you may be able to request a copy online by filling out a simple request form. For example, the National Archives and Records Administration keeps copies of all government contracts. This includes any military enlistment contracts. You can visit the National Archives and Records Administration at [1] and fill out such a request. Likewise, if you need a copy of a U-Haul rental agreement, you can access U-Haul’s website at [2] and request a copy through their online form.

SUMMARY:
Figure out who has the contract. Obtain contact information for the appropriate party. Decide what type of request is most appropriate.