Thread: how viable is the linen side?

i rarely see people talking about the linen (or canvas) side of their hanging strops as part of the stropping process.

one fellow who sold me some nice old razors off of ebay mentioned in an email to me that he does not use the linen side at all.

any consensus here? do people make routine use of the linen strop?

this is very much personal preference, some say it keeps the edge sharper longer others do not. I do use my linen 10-15 strokes then hit the plain leather. i don't always you use the linen right after i hone. the best thing for you is to experiment, see if it works or doesn't. thats the best advice i can give straight razor shaving involves a lot of experimentation, what works for one isn't always true for another.

I have to say that the only use I make of my linen strop is to dry the edge after a shave. I'm not keen on it as it seems to rough tpo be doing any good to my razor

Originally Posted by b7j0c

i rarely see people talking about the linen (or canvas) side of their hanging strops as part of the stropping process.

one fellow who sold me some nice old razors off of ebay mentioned in an email to me that he does not use the linen side at all.

any consensus here? do people make routine use of the linen strop?

There's no consensus here: try with and without and see what you like most.

I agree, personal preference. Tony Miller told me that there really is not documented reasoning for the linen/canvas side. The best explanation that I have heard is that it heats up the blade due to the friction which allows the blade teeth to align easier. Don't know if that's a fact, but it sounds plausible. Someone with more metal knowledge than I can answer this or not. But, that is basically why I use the linen side. I also use it to dry the blade after shaving.

Jeff,
That's pretty close to what I tell people. usually we debate this same subject here once a month with no real answer. Warms the blade, dries the blade, provides a rougher surface before the leather, may be mildly abrasive, IS mildly abrasive, NO WAY it's mildly abrasive, etc.... <g>

To further the unsure opinions the linen I use is rated by customers as too smooth, too rough, just right......<g>. We don't know what it does but most guys will not buy a strop without it but then rarely use it.

Tony

I treat the linen strop as a very mild form of abrasive strop but it could be argued that it aligns the microscopic teeth also. If heat is part of this then I will not argue the theory. All I do and I'm sure you will in the end is, judge for yourself.

PuFF

Tony,

I hope that I didn't misquote you.

No problem Jeff, just wanted to clarify what I meant.

Tony

I use mine with soap and it does seem to be mildly abrasive and effect some of my German and American steel razors better than just leather.