Quote Originally Posted by TheLegalRazor View Post
Did the old time barbers with a strop attached to the chair use a fabric component?
I'm sure many of the old time barbers did. The strops came with the leather and the linen. I remember seeing at least one or two of my barbers, over the years, use both but I am sure it depended on whether it was a quick refresh or serious stropping.

Interestingly enough , to me anyway, the 1961 barber manual in the SRP Wiki help files here mentions that there is a controversy between those who feel the linen is necessary and those who feel it is not. So this is not a new debate. I have found that stropping on linen before leather seems to make a very positive difference in my edges. We all have to try it both ways to see for ourselves.