Thread: Stropping after honing

I always do 25 linen prior to leather. Then 25 on a leather with a lot's of draw, and 25 on leather with minimal or 0 draw...for a total of 50 on leather, on shave days. After honing, I'll do the same routine but 2x, One series immediately following honing, and another series prior to the shave...

I think they recommended leather only after honing because linen/canvas is itself slightly abrasive, thus unnecessary after using a fine hone. However like some of the other fellows have said, for me stropping on canvas after honing gives a better edge.

Cheers,
Jeff

I do 30 fabric and 60 leather before shaving, but 50/100 after honing. Seems to work well!

Linen was the Poly/Nylon strop of it day. And works much the same way. It is the weave that gives Linen & Nylon/poly strops their impressive results.

Microscopically the edges of the weave are knocked off, Re-align and polished the metal at the edge. What we see is the polishing on the tops of the ridges on the bevel.

Duane, “Dllandry” on his photo album, (Community/ Pictures Albums), has some impressive magnified photos of a bevel with Diamond, Chrome Ox and Mass stropped edges.

Most impressive are the photos after stropping on Nylon after the application of each of the pastes.

I have PM Duane asking him to post these on this forum for everyone to see. Here is his link if you can’t wait.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/members/dllandry-albums-wicked-paddle.html

I still go to Linen to clean the edge after honing and to clean a razor that has been shaved with, before stropping on leather. No matter how well I rinse or wipe a razor there are still microscopic bits of skin, hair, soap and Oxidation on the edge and bevel. Linen removes this and prevents contamination of the leather with the above and steel after honing. Nylon/poly does the same only better in my experience.

I still use the linen first so as to not contaminate my Nylon /Poly strops also. I then finish on leather. Nylon /Poly can greatly reduce the number of laps required on leather to achive the same results.

Marty