Thread: To linen or not to linen?

I've found differing opinions through reading various how to guides on stropping of whether or no the linen side of the strop needs be used and when. I was wondering what some experienced users felt about use of the linens.

I don't use it. I've tried many times to use it plain, use it with some product, or just read about how important it is. I've yet to actually feel any benefit.

I use my linen strops. Not every time, but after a few shaves I always put my razors on the linen before stropping. I don't think it would be a bad idea at all to use the linen side every time. Linen strops were made for a reason. If nothing else, I think they do a good job of preparing the razor for the leather, making the leather strop last longer and remain in better, unscuffed condition.

Since your new, I'll let you know that Robert has WAY more experience than I. I'd follow his advice too. For me its like a habit I can never keep up. I know linen is supposed to help but I've never developed the habit.

I was going to post the same topic...

My new strop's linnen side seems kind of knobby. How could that help? I mean, after going though all the trouble to get a nice edge then to strop with that??? I am not convinced.

Emil

I've got a little more time this morning, so I'll expound a bit more about linen strops. This stuff is all pretty subjective just like "how sharp is sharp" is pretty subjective. But here's my take on it.

I never liked the hard "linen" that is used by Illinois Strop company these days, but the old linen that's really linen... I honestly feel that it's the difference between a very good shave and a really GREAT shave. I can get my razors shaving quite nicely just by honing and stropping but with judicial use of a quality linen strop prior to using my horsehide strops the shave goes from good to truly great. I think one of the reasons that 5/8 razors are so underappreciated is because they're rarely honed and prepped well enough to perform right. Heavy blades will do a pretty good job and handle well even if they're not particularly sharp. Lightweight 5/8 razors, on the other hand, don't have the weight behind them to power through stubborn bristle that it's not sharp enough to cut with the very least possible amount of effort. A 5/8 razor that is fine enough to give no noticable resistance at all when shaving against the grain may actually provide the closest shaves of all, but if the razor isn't sharp enough to glide effortlessly, it can torque when it hits the resistance and cause the blade to dig in and nick. Using the linen for 8-10 strokes on each side prior to the finishing strop is the best way to maintain the razors at that level of sharpness.

Keep in mind, though, that I don't consider linen stropping to be a cure for a dull razor. If the razor isn't already highly polished, a linen strop can't fix that; it can only refine a good edge, in my opinion.

what type of linen do you prefer? a thick or thin one? is there any particular type/style of material that works better than the other?

In my opinion, a good linin is thick, supple, tough and still soft and non-abrasive. You can find good linen on many vintage strops and the linen that Tony Miller sells looks really good, although I haven't taken the opportunity to try it yet.

Thanks! My linen is acros between the hard finish stuff Illinois uses and the very soft stuff on a Jemico strop.

It feels fairly stiff, has a distinct weave to it so it acts coarse but the actial surfsace feel is soft. Illinois has a coating or impregnatiion that makes it hard all the way through, the Jemico is limp all the way through. Mine is like a'dente pasta, soft outside but with a firm body.

Hmm, maybe I'll have Italian for lunch <g>

Tony

Don't worry about the linen being "nobby". It does not
destroy the edge.

The general recommendation is to use the linen after you have shaved with the razor once. You do not use the linen if the razor has just been honed.

The main function of the linen is that it cleans off the blade and gives a coarse alignment to the edge. The leather strop then gives the edge its final, fine alignment.

Lets understand that its much easier to clean the linen then it is to clean the leather. Therefore use the linen first to remove the dirt and oil from the razor.

On the issue of "does the linen sharpen the edge?" there is no definitive answer. If aligning the edge counts as "sharpening" then the answer is yes. If we mean abrading the edge then we have no definitive answer. Some say yes, some say no.

I use the linen and it does work for me. But then so does a coarse finish strop.

Hope this helps,

Originally Posted by mmm_shavingcream

I was going to post the same topic...

My new strop's linnen side seems kind of knobby. How could that help? I mean, after going though all the trouble to get a nice edge then to strop with that??? I am not convinced.

Emil