Now you see, that's why I love this place. Without reading this thread, I'd have blindly given in to the ancient wisdom about 'canvas heating the blade' just as I did the 'teeth or striations do the cutting' argument for a long time. The latter has been proven false, but the myth persists. After having read the posts here I am returned to my natural state, the sceptic.
Other than rubbing a honing compound such as wood ash into the linen to give it a purpose, I don't know what it does(so no vote), but I sometimes strop 12-20 times on linen before leather in my pre-shave stropping.
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