Thread: Added Linen. Improvement?

I have been using only leather for a few months in an attempt to reduce the variables. My plan has been to start using the linen at some point and see if I can detect a difference.

So I've been shaving with the same razor the last two weeks. My routine has been 60 on leather before every shave. Two days ago I shaved and afterward I decided to try out the linen. So after the shave I did maybe 10 strokes on linen, and 10 to 20 on leather before putting the blade away.

Today I shaved again with the same blade. I gave it a good stropping on leather. Lathered and did two passes.

After both shaves I had my wife touch my face. For the first shave, her response had been that I "have gotten closer" in the past. Then today she said that my face felt "softer" than two days ago. She then offered to resign as my post shave face tester, but I declined her resignation and said she will stay in the position.

I think I'm going to be using the linen more in the future. It sure didn't hurt anything.

Michael

I started with linen and moved away from it, shaves have not been quiet as comfortable, i'll be going back to it...just my experiment though.

Just out of curiosity, what strop are you using?

Tony miller steerhide

Michael

I found that linen seemed a bit harsh on my blades, micro-chipping them. I can't prove that the linen was the culprit, but the problem has not resurfaced since I went back to plain leather only.

Originally Posted by ace

I found that linen seemed a bit harsh on my blades, micro-chipping them. I can't prove that the linen was the culprit, but the problem has not resurfaced since I went back to plain leather only.

That's a very interesting observation! On one of my (few) razors I've suspected the same thing. I like using my cotton canvas strop, but only use it when a the razor no longer instantly "catches" then cuts my whiskers. I wonder if that catching behavior is from some sort ot "texture" being added to the edge - perhaps micro-chips?

I'm using a vintage strop or a newer Tony Miller. The linen always seems to help. 15-30 linen/50-60 leather. So far I don't think it's made any of my edges worse.

A couple light passes on linen then many on leather.

Nice linen (fabric) will remove cruft that you do not want
on the leather.

I am a friend of a dirty canvas strop. Over time canvas will
get grey and better. I am a fan of sub micron spray
on canvas. It very much improves the smoothness of the shave.

Use a gosh light touch on both the canvas and the leather...
Most fabric is "rough" and will over work harden the thin
edge. This can look like "micro chipping" just like a wire
coat hanger bent too much the steel with break off.

On my favorite strop I have very much abused the canvas
with my DMT and knocked most all the bumps down by
20% or so.. It used to buzz and whistle on razors with a
narrow spine now it purrs. The seat belt nylon canvas
options on some vendor strops should purr even softer.

Originally Posted by ace

I found that linen seemed a bit harsh on my blades, micro-chipping them. I can't prove that the linen was the culprit, but the problem has not resurfaced since I went back to plain leather only.

Nothing can ever be proven, because the word itself denotes an absolute state, i.e. it has always been so in every case in the past, is so in every case in the present, and will always be so in every case in the future. The historical record is incomplete and sometimes inaccurate, the present is underreported and usually inaccurate, and the future is unknown to everyone. Ergo NOTHING can ever be "proven." These conditions make the word "proven" useless and misleading.

Well, I think we need a 'yes, quite' reply to Maple's esoteric philosophy, and then we all need to move forward...

I do 30/70 canvas/leather and always have.

I didn't really know why. I read the other day that canvas warms the steel to make it more malleable for the leather. Makes sense, but I don't know. Heaps of variables, and I think dragging a She Who Must Be Obeyed into the mix just complicates it; do She Who Must Be Obeyeds EVER give a straight answer? Whenever I ask mine if she agrees I'm getting more attractive as I age it seems the answer is not as straight forward as one would hope...