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I'm not sure if this belongs in the Honing Forum or in
the Stropping Forum, but I hope that the moderator
will straighten it out for me.
I read this somewhere, but I can't find the reference
now:
"After honing the razor, proceed directly to the leather
strop, bypassing the linen."
Is this correct? And if so, what is the rationale for
doing that?
Thanks,
Paul
I wouldnt recommend it, that would seem to me to leave minute metal particulate in the leather, not a good thing in my opinion. After honing, I will strop a blade a minimum of 100x on linen and then the leather.
+1 ... I think strops may have been considered sacrificial items when that was written.
I used to use only leather but no way I'm taking fresh honed steel to my Kanayama strop without an intermediate process.
It's not something I skip either. My reasoning is slightly different though. As far as I'm concerned, a freshly honed blade shouldn't do any harm straight on leather, but we all want them to shave as smooth as possible. In my mind, the linen plays an important role in getting the edge where I want it.
I tend to strop them well on both after the stones. For me, that's still only 50-100 linen, followed by another 50-100 leather, so not as much as some of the fellas.
I always do linen then leather, but not 100x just 30 linen then 60 leather. Is the general opinion that it should be more?
If the shaves are comfortable & you're happy, why do more? I tend to do those kinds of figures only after honing. The rest of the time 20-25 linen, 25-30 leather usually.
Paul, I can't be sure where you read that but the 1961 barber manual excerpt in the SPR Wiki Help Files says that," When the razor is freshly honed it should be finished on the leather only." I posted the same question some time back. I've experimented with linen or webbed fabric before the leather and leather only. In spite of what the manual says I prefer the wf or the linen before the leather. I know this routine gives me a better edge, speaking only for myself.
As for matalfab's question of how many strokes, From reading maparker762's posts on stropping and thebigspendur's 'grand experiment' some time back I've gotten into the routine of 50 and 50. Some guy's do more and others less. We all have to experiment and find what works for us individually IME.
+10
Linen after Honing here too... Right after the linen is when I do my final check under a loupe too, anything that wasn't good will get knocked loose by the linen...
Count wise
After honing 50-100
Before shaving 25-50
But like already mentioned those are just numbers, each person strops differently on different strops so they vary...
My best edges result from stropping 50X on hard treated vintage linen after honing, followed by stropping 10X on a leather CroOX impregnated paddle strop, and finishing with 50X on very fine smooth leather. I wipe the blade with a microfiber cloth between stroppings to remove any residue from the strop.
i have to say i have shaved of the leather after honing. then i went back in two days time and did tony miller linen 560 and 60 horse hide, and i could easily tell the differance in the shave. normal day shave i would do 20/40 or somtimes just leather but always after honing i hit the linen as after coticule honing the linen seems to improve the edge enough to notice the advantage of linen.
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