Thread: Using only Cotton Fabric to Strop

What I found very interesting was the 1961 Barber Manual in the SRP Wiki/Library here says that stropping is essential, no surprise, but that the second cloth, linen or canvas, "may or may not be necessary depending on the individual's coordination of hone and strop. With some types of hones however the canvas is considered to be necessary,"

I've seen a lot of debate on the second component and there are some who feel it is not necessary. The first time I read that in the manual I thought it was really interesting that the debate extended back that far, and no doubt further, and was important enough to be included in a pro barber's manual.

Keith De Grau, maker of HandAmerican 'Old Dog' strops made his with two leather components. He told me he wasn't against the cloth, but he didn't think cloth of sufficient quality was available so he would use a second component of scrub leather, or in one instance, the second component was a Russian cut leather.

If I'm on any side it is the second component, whether linen, or cotton, is necessary for me. YMMV. For traveling it wouldn't be an issue for me. That is what DEs are for.

Have never used the linen on any of my strops,leather only,seems to work just fine.