Thread: Old question about stropping

Yes maybe it has been answered many times, thing is I could not find a thread that specify clearly why the strops have a linen side,, what is its purpose?? when should I use it?? where the Crox should be put, on the linen side or the leather side?? what is the difference when you put it on each part of the strop??? I hope someone can guide me on this or give me a link to a specific thread... thank you all

linen is to be used before the leather. you should dedicate a separate, preferably a paddle, strop for any pastes you want. normally you will only be need the pasted strops to refresh an edge, not for daily use.

Originally Posted by syslight

linen is to be used before the leather. you should dedicate a separate, preferably a paddle, strop for any pastes you want. normally you will only be need the pasted strops to refresh an edge, not for daily use.

The linen, if you use it at all, should be stropped before the leather. No one really knows for sure if the linen does anything but clean the bevel and edge before going to the leather. But many insist that the linen does help. I am just not one of them.

As stated, pastes like CrO are more reliably used on a solid leather or balsa surface. I think they may round the edge when used improperly on a loose strop.

Confusing, huh? Linen is a pre leather treatment, less aggressive and does clean the edge, but also realigns the edge. Leather continues the realignment, and both linen and leather remove some metal aiding in sharpening. CROX, I prefer to use it on the webbed fabric from SRD, or the pressed wool also from SRD and both on a hanging strop and generally after a honing appication. You can use it as a refreshing application for maintenance, but sparingly. A paddle strop, too me, is more of a modified honing application. It has it's place, but I much prefer a hanging strop for daily maintenance and edge maintenance until a touchup is needed. If you over use the CROX on a hanging strop and have bad technique or just go too long between touchups you can experience some rounding to the bevel, but a touchup on a barber hone or other honing system can easily correct this. A nice sharp edge from the hones, modest use of CROX or other applications, and good technique will give you many enjoyable shaves! Good shaving and great edges!

Regards,

Howard

I use a DOVO strop, one side is leather and the other side is canvas. Before each shave I do 30 passes on the canvas, followed by 60 passes on the leather. Six months ago the canvas was white, now it is slightly grey. Cleaning the razor and removing tiny metal particles, it certainly has an important role, not to forget the fact that it "protects" the leather.

I use the linen first but to be honest it's more out of habit than getting a different shave from my straight

with pics of linen strops

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...en-cotton.html

I have done those pics so often I gave up "discussing" the benefits of linen, there are the pics of at least one for sure benefit the rest you can make your own mind up on

Well:

I my personal opinion I agreed with all of you in a sence that the linen is necessary and before the leather process. I always used on the kanayama lines which is very thick and ten in the leather section. When I started long time ago honestly I never pay attention to the linen but since years now I force myself to do it and the results are real nice.

K

I'm still pretty new to straight shaving. I started out with a Poor Man's strop and have been using it since February as my only strop, so just leather. Recently, a friend gave me a strop which has linen and leather and I used it for the first time a couple of days ago. The strop was the only change I made to my shaving. The difference in the edge and in the shave was HUGE. I won't be going back to leather alone. EVER.

Ed

I hand picked my Illinois 127 out of the dozen or so hanging in Purtle's in St. Louis. The leather on the first seven that I slid out of the plastic sleeve to inspect were less than acceptable to me - a couple were downright poor quality due to marring and defects in the leather.

But on to my linen question - The "linen" part of my 127 is so stiff it is almost akin to being resin impregnated. Is this just normal "sizing/starching" for all linen strops? All of the other 127's in the store were the same linen-wise. And while I have lightly stroked my new razor on the linen strop a couple of strokes, I am very leery of using it more than once every blue moon.

I appreciate any info.