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Thread: Added Linen. Improvement?

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    Senior Member mjsorkin's Avatar
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    Default 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
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    Member Pandamonium's Avatar
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    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.

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    Just out of curiosity, what strop are you using?

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    Senior Member mjsorkin's Avatar
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    Tony miller steerhide

    Michael
    “there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to nonlethal quantities of the drug make them resistant.”---Fleming

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    ace
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    Senior Member blabbermouth ace's Avatar
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    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.

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    Silky Smooth
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    Quote Originally Posted by ace View Post
    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?

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    Senior Member rodb's Avatar
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    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.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth niftyshaving's Avatar
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    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.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ace View Post
    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.
    Last edited by mapleleafalumnus; 07-29-2012 at 07:17 AM.

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    Plausibly implausible carlmaloschneider's Avatar
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    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...
    Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me? And why should I not speak to you?
    Walt Whitman

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