I think it may be true that seven day sets were sold because of the myth of resting. I think back in the heyday of seven day sets that people didn't strop their razors. Or that they did it infrequently.

Because I only shave with a straight 3 days a week and I have a rotation of two razors I can shave very often without ever stropping.

But the quality of the shave is a little better if I strop. Not much, just a little.

I think this is why there are so many references and pictures of strops in barber shops and not so many in historic homes.

But, early on, the advantages of using a strop were very apparent.

I think so many people are so convinced of the utter sillyness of the idea though that they have never really tried, or there is a small chance that I just hone well and this works (but I would be really surprised if I hone better than the average user).