I guess I can count myself lucky. Stropping has come natural to me after a month of SR shaving. But I'm a perfectionist and my dinner practice knife got a lot of workouts.

Like several of the members I do use the linen or cotton first. I only do about fifteen laps, I don't see a personal benefit of doing more than that. Then I hit the leather and I don't do more than fifty laps, again I haven't found any personal benefit on doing more than that.

To me is about personal preference and how well honed the razors were from the get go.