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Thread: linen strop

  1. #31
    Pit Bull Lover & Trout Terrorist hardblues's Avatar
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    I have a question perhaps someone would offer fact or opinion to...I've been shaving with SR's for around 7/8 years and have made the vast majority of my new purchases from SRD, including my strop, therefore the fabric strop is the web material & consequently I've have never used another type of fabric strop. For those of you who have, 1. What is your opinion of the web-strops the pluses/minuses? 2. By fact or opinion do you prefer linen, does it offer a property/result superior to the web material or 6-to one 1/2 dozen to the other.

    Finally, what are the preferences for CrOx application....Web-Strop, Felt, Linen, Basswood, etc. and when refreshing...how many passes do you use. I saw this video on Youtube, a fellow who calls himself Doc. (I don't remember), who is selling 3-levels of diminishing micron grade sprays for taking a blade beyond CrOx...each has a fabric covered glass-plate strop on which you spray the material and then this guy does 100 laps on each. He shows very high magnification comparison photos between the CrOx, to the 1st spray, 2nd and 3rd, ending with a virtual mirro, (no scratch pattern) finish. Of course, how good does it have to be...but, knowing the recommendations of 4-10 strokes for CrOx edge touch-ups...the sequential 100 laps he wa doing I thought curious, but, must admit, the photos were amazing. Here is the link to this guy with the sprays referenced in the immediate preceding:
    Thank you for your time in rely.
    Last edited by hardblues; 11-02-2015 at 06:31 PM.

  2. #32
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    So, it depends what you are trying to achieve. Traditionally the “Linen” strop was use to clean the blade and edge prior to stropping on leather. Linen is mildly abrasive and some vintage linen strops were pasted with a variety of natural abrasives, chalk, lead, graphite and others to provide a bit of keenness.

    Modern “linen” substitutes perform much the same function, with modern materials. Good Vintage linen is somewhat abrasive and will provide a bit of keenness, but if used for cleaning, most any linen substitute will work just fine.

    A pasted strop is a whole other animal, and there are any number of abrasives and of the smallest nano grit sizes. Each will provide their own results and substrate can alter the results.

    Chrome Oxide has been the go to paste for comfort, at .5 micron (30K) for years. It is truly a matter of personal preference if one needs “more” and finer pastes and sprays. They are all different and produce equally different results, depending on if you are looking for comfort or keenness.

    CBN is certainly capable of polishing a bevel to a nano grit level that will remove any visible stria at 400X and resulting in super straight edge. Is it for everyone? No, and do you need it? That is a question for you to answer.

    There are endless number of threads in the stropping forum on paste and pasted strops, and the same variety of opinions.

    Dr. Matt is a member here and has done a lot of research on honing and pasted stropping, he is also very passionate in his methods and shares his finding freely with others.
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  4. #33
    Senior Member blabbermouth ejmolitor37's Avatar
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    I am new to SR shaving but, I have used my canvas side before my leather side before every shave. I do approx. 20-30 laps on canvas then about double that on the leather. The one time I did stray I felt like I did not get the quality shave I had before. Was this true or was I just inconsistent with fundamentals?? I know that after I have used both every time and seem happy with the result. Maybe it is a placebo of sorts. I have been wondering about adding a paste because that is what is on my board strop that I use for pocket knives. Then I figure why mess with what I have going? I do my canvas laps then my leather and shave and I am happy so I will leave it. Plus I kinda like the zip noise the canvas makes just a newbs 2 cents. shave on gents

  5. #34
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    I watched a video of Mastro Livi using a 4K stone, cuticle, linen with chromium oxide on it then leather. From start to finish it doesn't take him more then 5 minutes. I have 3 of his razors and they come shave ready and really hold an edge and shave as smooth or smoother then my Aust, Dovo or other razors. Very few laps after he sets the bevel. Murray Carter does pretty much the same thing. It appears these men who work with metal and sharpen blades take a much different approach to setting a bevel and honing. Less is more. I very rarely use chromium oxide on linen and find a Suehiro Gokumyo 20k will give me just as smooth an edge that lasts longer..

  6. #35
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Pretty Shure I saw that same video, he was refreshing an edge, as with anything, it depends on what you start with. If the edge is straight, yes you can set a bevel on a 4k rather quickly, but I do believe it took longer than 5 minutes.

    I have seen several Levi honing videos and he spends much more time honing an edge off the grinder. He does it exactly the same way we all do and takes about the same amount of time. It is not about how fast one can hone, it is about the quality of the edge.

    If you’re not shaving with a razor you can hone it pretty quickly, be careful believing what you see on YouTube, I once saw a guy hone a razor on a brick…
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  7. #36
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    I agree speed is not the factor. There is no substitute for experience and technique. That's the beauty of this, each person has their own way of doing it and must find the right tools to fit their procedures. I really like experimenting with new stones, strops and techniques in search of the perfect edge.
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  8. #37
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Considering all of the linen strops made and (apparently) sold not only to the lay public, but also to professional barbers, throughout the history of barbering at least from the mid 19th century until now, either stropping on linen has some legitimate purpose that may have been forgotten or, it's useless and represents one of the best marketing scams ever at worst or faulty thinking at best. Any other options?
    Last edited by honedright; 11-20-2015 at 11:24 PM.

  9. #38
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    I can't speak to linen, since I've never tried it, but after a couple of years on my SRD strop with the nylon webbing, I swapped that side out for wool, also from SRD. I loaded it with cRo2 and use it every few weeks. It makes a noticeable improvement.

  10. #39
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
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    Same with a badger brush. Why badger?

    I think it's well accepted Linen is the best media for prestropping. The cloth has the right combination of properties to do the best job. The same with badger. Even though boar has its devotees badger is considered the classic and best media for lather production and application.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

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