Thread: Purpose of Canvas/Linen

Originally Posted by mparker762

How hard is oxidized steel?

The brown stuff, Fe²0³, also known as hematite has a hardness value of 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. It is used in jewelers rouge.
The black stuff, Fe³04, also known as magnetide has a hardness value of 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. Also used in abrasive compounds.

In most, but not all cases oxides are harder than the metal they are derived from. Aluminum is a well know example where the oxide is 50 times harder than the metal itself. The difference between hardened steel and its oxides is not that big, but enough to be effective.

+1 on cleaning debris off - any residue lather. (Though I clean the blade on a towel after my shave so this effect might be unneccesary).

Maybe someone with a microscope hooked up to a computer could do a series of magnified before and after pics, comparing:

Un-stropped
Stropped on canvas
Stropped on leather

Stropped on leather only

For the keen you could do this over a few weeks and see if there is any discernible visual difference. (Sorry - don't have one of these microscopes so can't do it).

Well - that's my suggestion for an experiment.

All the best,
Michael.

We had another thread going on stropping...
One thing for sure, the better you learn to strop the longer you go between honing....
Ask anyone on here that really knows how the strop how long they go between honing their razors....

I gotta take the total non-scientific approach to this
Since Bart and Parker explained it rather well I will agree with them in the layman's way
Just look at a white Linen strop after 100 razors, there is something on it alright, and I think that something looks like metal especially oxidized metal...

I am a 25/50 Linen/Leather everyday keeps the hone doctor away kind of guy....

Hmmmmm think about that I actually hone razors for money, and I am telling you learn to strop, and you don't have to hone as often....


ps: I just thought of something else, I would rather have all that crap on the linen then embedded in my leather strop....

It seems obvious to me that the metaphysical benefits of stropping are assertive. At the appropriate angle and with the proper substrates, the cumulative effect of the density of the organics involved lead me to believe that the distinction between non comparison is less than punitive. A laser optical-delusional cross study with extremely intense magnification under maximum stress should divulge a thesis deserving of outstanding appreciation. Reinforcement under laboratory conditions with logistical documentation and process adherence will confirm that any amount of strokes undertaken on the linen strop and regardless of the pressure submitted to the fabric, utilizes time.

I also have been known to hone a few razors and would concur that stropping can be beneficial to the sport so long as enhancing additives are not considered until such time as we can establish standards and testing parameters.

Lynn

Originally Posted by Lynn

It seems obvious to me that the metaphysical benefits of stropping are assertive. At the appropriate angle and with the proper substrates, the cumulative effect of the density of the organics involved lead me to believe that the distinction between non comparison is less than punitive. A laser optical-delusional cross study with extremely intense magnification under maximum stress should divulge a thesis deserving of outstanding appreciation. Reinforcement under laboratory conditions with logistical documentation and process adherence will confirm that any amount of strokes undertaken on the linen strop and regardless of the pressure submitted to the fabric, utilizes time.

I also have been known to hone a few razors and would concur that stropping can be beneficial to the sport so long as enhancing additives are not considered until such time as we can establish standards and testing parameters.

Lynn

What he said

Originally Posted by Lynn

It seems obvious to me that the metaphysical benefits of stropping are assertive. At the appropriate angle and with the proper substrates, the cumulative effect of the density of the organics involved lead me to believe that the distinction between non comparison is less than punitive. A laser optical-delusional cross study with extremely intense magnification under maximum stress should divulge a thesis deserving of outstanding appreciation. Reinforcement under laboratory conditions with logistical documentation and process adherence will confirm that any amount of strokes undertaken on the linen strop and regardless of the pressure submitted to the fabric, utilizes time.


Lynn

So Stropping has an effect, we could see under a microscope, and learn from, also tests will show it takes time...........

I have seen you in a couple of videos Lynn, and I am sure I would remember if you spoke like that in real life....hahahaha

All I know is that if I strop on linen (never tried cotton) or webbed fabric before the leather .... doing 50 & 50 .... I will pass HHT far more than if I strop on leather alone.

The barber manual excerpt in the SRP Wiki is very specific that you should only strop on leather following the hones. Strop on linen/leather once you've shaved with the razor until you go back to the hones.

I did this for awhile and then read a post by mparker762 where he said that he had honed a razor and stropped on linen/leather. So I decided it was alright for me to strop on linen following the hones and then leather.

Not scientific but I seem to be getting sharper results.

The only result that matters

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Not scientific but I seem to be getting sharper results.

That's a lovely post, Lynn, if it weren't so long a use it as my sig.

Quarter of an hour later and I'm still smiling at it.

Is the cloth strop necessary: no. However, it seems that my blades are better maintained when i employ one; ie they stay sharper for longer periods of time and require less touch up work. So the cloth strop is more than worth using regularly.

Cheers!