Thread: Linen & Leather or Just Leather

Linen 40....leathah 100... then Palm strop..that's the latest set up for me

Well today's shave was 25/50 with linen and leather and the shave was very smooth, the post shave consisted of 10/10. Going to try this for a week or so and then try leather only and see if I notice a difference.

Like you Jnatcat, I use a Kanayama #70000. I've settled on doing 20 on canvas, 30 on the suede and 100 on the primary leather. I've stuck at that for a couple of years and been happy. Only thing I've added was I put lead on one of my canvas pieces. I read it can help, but many have said it's toxic. That may be so, but I'm trying it out.

For me, I for some reason really like stropping. On a regular shave linen and leather, somewhere around 60 linen and 100 leather. After honing I have a progressive stropping routine that I believe makes for the smoothest shaving edges. As always YMMV.

Gentlemen,

Currently I use the Mastro Livi loom strop. About 20 strokes on the skin side plus palm stropping put a sweet edge on my razor. About every four or five shaves with the razor, I give it about 10 strokes on the CrO coated side and then to the skin side.

I also have an old Illinois hanging strop, no longer made, and use it mostly for after the shave — 10 strokes on linen and 10 on leather. When I used the hanging strop before the shave, it was always 25 to 30 strokes on linen and 50 to 60 strokes on leather.

Whether the linen helps or not I'm not sure. I suppose it does. The old time barbers used it followed by leather. Maybe they realized its magic long before we did.

Obie - what size Livi loom do you have?

I have a small Livi, and not sure what the "right" number.

Originally Posted by 400E

Obie - what size Livi loom do you have?

I have a small Livi, and not sure what the "right" number.

Mine is the size small. Since I use about seven or eight inches of length on any strop, hanging or loom, the small Mastro Livi works perfectly well for me. There's also the travel size, much smaller than the small, and that also worked well for me when I had it. I must say, this is an unusual strop, and along with the Kanayama 80000, the best and the sweetest I've used.

Originally Posted by RezDog

For me, I for some reason really like stropping. On a regular shave linen and leather, somewhere around 60 linen and 100 leather. After honing I have a progressive stropping routine that I believe makes for the smoothest shaving edges. As always YMMV.

And what is your progressive stroping routine after honing? just curious.