Thread: Linen + beeswax

I am thinking about this as I recently waxed a strop and ironed in the wax to get it nice and stiff.

I got what I needed, but say on a snowboard or ski you scrape off the excess after ironing. This doesn't work as well on a strop.

The linen itself strops fine and I get good results from it now, but next time around I would probably just apply wax on the linen side that doesn't see razor action. I figure the strop will still be stiff, and I can scrape excess without worries, and the surface on the other side will stay as is. I am not sure if the wax has a special function for the edge (e.g. - does it have to be put on the side that the razor is touching? and am I losing something by applying it to the other side?)

Just sharing my experience, thoughts, and asking for some input - if anyone knows / cares

Cheers
Ivo

Don't know the answers but I like your idea of using the back. Traditionally candle wax can be applied also with a similar effect I believe.

I'm not really sure though why you want a stiff linen/canvas? As long as their taught they seem to function pretty well. ????

Candle wax was believed to help heat the blade up quicker I think.

I've been discovering lately that I can achieve much better stropping action with higher speeds in stropping which brings a whole new concept in "burnishing" back to stropping action. And was a big point presented in the candle wax method.

I think you may have to put the wax on the surface and just try it. We've built up a little bit of misunderstanding/misinformation on this site from intuitive presumptions.

When I've used candle wax on the surface I was not able to quantify any improvements but I may check again, especially now that I've identified the effect of blade speed in stropping.

Hi Alan,

the wax IS currently on the working surface, and it works well like this but I do not have an identical linen to compare without it. I also have a cleaned (=de-waxed) linen on another strop and it works very well too, just feels a bit floppy and bendy

The reason I want them stiff is because they came to me stiff and in very good condition (while the leathers were not dried) so I assume they are stiff for a reason. It is much easier to keep the linen taut when stiff, for sure. The feel is also different.

Cheers
Ivo

This does not really answer your question but I thought would share my experiences with beeswax and linen strops. Here is my experiment strop - it has beeswax on both sides and is quite stiff. I applied the beeswax with a brush. I first mixed the beeswax with odorless mineral spirits to make a stiff paste; I then divided it into two batches - one batch mixed with Hand American boron carbide and other with their Chromium oxide. I brushed on then leveled off with a plastic credit card. After drying for a few weeks I burnished the surfaces with the shiny smooth surface of a large screwdriver shank. At first the beeswax was grabby when stropping but it has been getting better with use and age.

I know hanging pasted strops are not all that popular but this strop does seem to work when nothing else will. I am not advocating just sharing.

Charlie

I still use my fathers old strop that is prepared on the linen side with wax and rottenstone. I find a waxed linen handles more like leather if you get my point. Wax if not over applied will aid the razors passage over the strop (hair driers work great) and a small amount of abrasive is great for light touch-ups. Possibly another benifit is the wax will reduce or deny absorbtion of moisture, so reducing the expansion and contraction associated with linen.

Just a small tip: You dont need to add the abrasive to the wax at the melting stage. If you apply a dusting of abrasive powder when the wax has been applied and hardened, you will find it lays nicely on the surface with a rub-in. This will make it possible for you to clean the linen later or change abrasive type. I apply wax till it is soaked right through the linen but keep heating the working side till the wax looks to have melted away.

PuFF

Great ideas, thank you Puff!

Love the hair dryer idea and will try it. I myself also applied heat (iron) until the wax seemed to soak in and disappear from the surface, but stopped because I was worried about burning the linen or damaging it in some way.

Charlie - I have actually heard (and think so myself) that some razors fare much better with treated hanging strops - especially if they have curves that are hard to hit on a hone

Cheers
Ivo