Thread: linen strop

Originally Posted by xman

I use the linen as well to no adverse effect. The few times I have gone without it has not been at all bad however. Six of one ... Just my preference I guess. Maybe we'll have to try a new experiment on this to see what benefit there might be in using or omitting linen.

X

Hey X,

What type of linen do you use? Is it plain or pasted. The Dovo strops (my favorite) are pasted whereas the linen that comes with Illinois strops have some compound embedded in the cloth that feels almost like plastic. It's a very aggressive strop. With my old favorite Llama brand strop I use a Merit solid silk linen strop that I got NOS from the "Booklady" on ebay. I have applied additional white paste to it. Works wonderfully. This is what I use, but of course, some don't use linen at all, while some use linen all the time. To each is own.

Hal

Hal

Hal

Hal

Originally Posted by halwilson

The leather strop finishes. A linen strop with white paste sharpens. It offers the equivalent of a very light honing. I don't think a plain linen without paste does much of anything, IMHO. If you have a plain linen, I'd recommend getting a some white paste (you'll need to use a fair bit when applying it for the first time) and work it in thoroughly with you the palm of your hand. Use the linen side only when required.

Hal

I tried your suggestion about using white paste on the linen strop. IT WORKED!!! I was amazed how well it worked. Thanks for the information!

Mark.

Originally Posted by xman

I use the linen as well to no adverse effect. The few times I have gone without it has not been at all bad however. Six of one ... Just my preference I guess. Maybe we'll have to try a new experiment on this to see what benefit there might be in using or omitting linen.

X

Experiment, did you say experiment?

Actually I've always used a plain linen without paste. Just one of those things you do without trying to analyze it. I don't think of it as part of the sharpening process just blade preparation for the strop.

Originally Posted by halwilson

Hey X,

What type of linen do you use?

It's the plain linen from the Illinois 361 strop. I find it feels quite aggressive as well, but unless I lift the spine, I have failed to notice any adverse effects from using it.

X

X

X

X

Originally Posted by mslovacek

I tried your suggestion about using white paste on the linen strop. IT WORKED!!!

It shold be mentioned that sharpening with a pasted hanging strop will round hte bevel on the edge and should likely be avoided.

X

Originally Posted by xman

It shold be mentioned that sharpening with a pasted hanging strop will round hte bevel on the edge and should likely be avoided.

X

XMAN,

I am a little confused. Chalk is much, much softer than steel. As such, it has little cutting power. Are you sure it is able to round the bevels edge? I am not trying to act like a jerk, I just have some doubts. I could see this with red paste, however, since iron oxide is harder than steel.

From recent experience, I found that my razor gave a better shave after being stropped on a chalk pasted linen strop. In addition, the razor seemed to take to the leather strop all the better. Before, the linen strop always fouled the razors edge.

I am a newbie, and what is reported is based off of my observations... I liked the shave I got today. Perhaps this is a case where practice out performs theory???

The question about linen's usefullness has been around a long time. By using either the linen or the coarse leather you are cleaning the razor and straightening out/aligning the fin.

About 2 years ago(?) over on the Yahoo SRP forum one of the members who prepared very fine metalographic specimens theorized that the linen generated sufficent heat to "melt" the sides of the fin and thus make the fin smoother ande sharper.
Since this could not be precisely measured ( he did not have a SEM microscope available) it was largely discounted.
There has since been another study of sharpening where they have used a powerful microscope and the pics are quite interesting. They suggest that stropping does more than just align the fin. There was some metal moved around. This suggests the possibility of a smoothing effect on the side of the fin.

I use either a linen/leather or a rough leather/fine leather approach to stropping. I do find that there are different linens and also different leathers. You really have to experiment to find what you like.

With respect to using chalk on linen. One of the older members of this group used it for years with good results.and many men before us have used it with good results. Just be sure not to use it everyday. Use it only when needed.
By the way, it does not matter which substance is harder. Have you ever noticed the smoothness of a river rock?

Hope this helps,

Well said Randy!

Hal

Originally Posted by mslovacek

Are you sure it is able to round the bevels edge? I am not trying to act like a jerk, I just have some doubts. I could see this with red paste, however, since iron oxide is harder than steel.

If the chalk is sharpening the steel it must be cutting somewhat, no? Here's the image Nenad used to show us what he meant a few months back. You're probably right about the chalk being soft and therefore cutting less or slower as we say, but I think the principle is the same. If the chalked strop is having an effect on the edge, it must be having this effect:


X

I recently took the advice of Tony Miller and started stropping 30 times on the linen ( dry) then 30 on the leather ( a good fast bridle leather from Tony) Before I started this I would have some really excellent shaves and a few would pop up that were not so good and my face was left kind of raw. I always had to use an alum block. Since I started doing what Tony does I have not used the alum and have had 100% perfect shaves with no irritation. I have a friend who is also doing this with fail proof results