Thread: Question for those who don't use linen.

This thread here ... Interesting Article .... is the one that led me to my stropping routine. Specifically the 4th post by mparker762 which I belatedly thanked him for. OTOH, if leather only works for someone that is cool too.

With all the talk of just how far leather alone will get you it is interesting that many guys are worried they need a variety of things to sharpen when they travel.....pasted paddles, barber hones, etc......
In most cases for a week a leather strop alone should carry one at least that far.

I myself am usually a leather only guy for daily use, seldom using cloth but will resort to pastes before going to a hone for long term touchup work.

Tony

Originally Posted by JMS

Okay then. Does anyone get more than 2 weeks on an edge just using leather? 1 month? 6 months? How about 1 year.
I know that I get more than 3 months on an edge using linen and still going strong. Several of my razors have lasted much longer, more than 6 months I would say. There are some here who get more than a year on a razor. I know this is so for me on a couple of mine.
When I first started I often dulled my blade on the linen often, but after a year or 2 I got the hang of it and now, after more than 15 years my edges are lasting considerably longer.
If this is just experience please post and show me that its just experience. Until then, I believe it is the linen that allows me to go so long between touch ups.

I've been wondering about this as well. However, I think it's dependent upon the person's thickness, coarseness of hair, #stropping, stropping style, width of strop, type of leather or even razor type.

I use webbed fabric from my SRD Latigo if you consider that "linen" then I guess my response can be disregarded. I don't have any paddle or loom strops. Never used paste or chrome oxide.

I've been rotating with both the Iwasaki and Livi ATS34 JDM razor for well over month now. I shave every two days ( used to be 3-4 but wanted to shave more ). The shaves are exceptional as first time.

Originally Posted by JMS

How long do your edges last? No touch ups, no pasted strops, just leather.
How long on just leather stropping and nothing else?

two months from restore to must-sharpen on a miller practice strop. no rotation (i've only got one razor atm). shaving every other day or so.

no touch ups b/c i don't have hones (en route)
no paste b/c i don't like having that stuff hanging in my bathroom

just forty full laps before and forty after, every time

Hey guys, I met a barber down here in Sardis who has an awesome collection of Straights! I asked him about using linen and then latigo or horsehide, and he said that if you use the Linen and Latigo/Horsehide strops properly and religously, you should almost NEVER need to hone the edge of a Str8. That is even if you have a beard that is as thick as steel wool! BUT, the technique you use must be perfect or the strops can dull an edge fast. He also gave me a tip saying that you should hold the razor with the heel leading, \ . Any thoughts?

I strop on leather only, and I can go six months to a year before noticing that I need to hone. Not saying that I couldn't do better by doing it differently, but leather only has worked for me so far (7+ years).

Originally Posted by rrp1501

Hey guys, I met a barber down here in Sardis who has an awesome collection of Straights! I asked him about using linen and then latigo or horsehide, and he said that if you use the Linen and Latigo/Horsehide strops properly and religously, you should almost NEVER need to hone the edge of a Str8. That is even if you have a beard that is as thick as steel wool! BUT, the technique you use must be perfect or the strops can dull an edge fast. He also gave me a tip saying that you should hold the razor with the heel leading, \ . Any thoughts?

Sounds to me like he knows what he is talking about.