Thread: Poll: How many use the linen side?

I'm not a big fan of the plasticky Illinois stuff, but vintage linen and tony's stuff works very well. My first strop was a Jemico, and I didn't realize till after I gave it away how much mileage I had been getting out of that linen. Denim works surprisingly well too, but it doesn't wear very well, and it's flimsy so it needs to be on a paddle. One nice thing about denim though is it's soft enough that you don't seem to need the leather.

I too dislike the plastic-like linen on my Illinois strop, mainly because I now have a TM strop with genuine linen on it and find that it just 'feels' better. (I hate the sound that my Illinois makes with my full hollow stainless Dovo)


However, both of them seem to function fine and I have not noticed any ill effects from using them, which I do every time I strop.


Ivan

That term "Sharpen" seems to be getting thrown about a lot lately in reference to strops, and I think that might be a little confusing to some of the new guys here.... Strops will refresh/maintain an edge but it takes a stone to sharpen one....
I use my linen sides every day in the pre-shave stropping and love the results I get....
The whole theory behind the linen was to "ruff" up the edge so the the leather could smooth it out better, I don't know if that really true or not, maybe one of the guys that has a microscope can take some progressive pics of the edge as they strop and we can all learn something here...

I love my linen (well canvas) side from Tony. I wanted to test it without using linen at all for a couple weeks, and I found I was getting a noticeable difference in shave quality.

Then I used linen side again and it was back to beautiful close shave with less irritation. maybe I just like the sound it makes too...

erik

TM linen for me as well.

i use a leather/linen strop like this one
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/196033.htm
and i find the linen helpful for cleaning the edge and straightening any rough patches before i switch to the leather side. the key is don't press hard. if you don't keep it light, the linen side will mess up the edge a lot quicker than the leather side, at least in my experience.

My favourite linen so far is the Dovo (pre-treated with white
paste). Second would be TM genuine linen. The canvas on
some of my TM strops dulled my blades without fail...

- Scott

Wow, great response everyone!

Does anyone have any input on the TM cotton? That is the one I am having trouble with. I will test it out again with a lighter touch this evening, hopefully with better results.

I wonder what Tony is selling that is advertised to be used with "abrasive sharpening pastes"?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

That term "Sharpen" seems to be getting thrown about a lot lately in reference to strops, and I think that might be a little confusing to some of the new guys here.... Strops will refresh/maintain an edge but it takes a stone to sharpen one....

I use the linen side of my Illinois strop every time before I go to the leather, and seeing the linen gradually start to become a misty gray from a "pristine" white makes me glad I do. I'd hate to think of that stuff working its way into the leather instead.

As a bonus, the linen serves as kind of an "on-deck" circle, and lets me get into form before I do leather strokes. I rarely nick the leather since I do this. (Yes, I realize . . . famous last words!! )