Originally Posted by
ace
I've recently given up on linen, in my case the rough seatbelt-like material. It seemed to me that it was rough on edges, and I wasn't really sure of its benefits anyway. I think it sent two of my blades back to the hones.
I use a paddle strop and find that I can sense "bite" on it too. As I start stropping, the friction warms the English Bridle pad, the warmth increases the draw noticeably and the "bite" is when you can literally feel the leather working on the edge. Of course, on a paddle, with no deflection, I can use some pressure.