Thread: Linen or poly webbing...

Always used linen, until I got a SRD Latigo strop just before Christmas, and I do like the poly side, a nice strop alround, my other strops are a 827, and a vintage horse shell, with a thick canvas.

Being the person who introduced the Poly Webbing strops into the wet shaving community, I can tell you that I tested it against every second strop material I could find for a year before putting it on strops. I tested against vintage linens, cottons, hemp, fire hose, denim, rough leather and canvas materials to see if I could really determine if there was an actual better result using any of these. At the end of the day from a result perspective, the poly webbing performed as well as any of the other materials. To me it really boils down to personal preference. Every second strop material has it's own feeling whether it be smooth, grainy or zippy. I don't think there is a wrong choice.

Have fun.

Lynn, I received an SRD bridle leather strop with poly for Christmas. Being a traditional kind of guy, I had my doubts. I have to say I am loving this stop. Who new that my favorite strop would end up including poly. My favorite brush is also synthetic. What happened to me?[emoji12]
(At least my favorite guns are all blue and walnut)

The poly is too zippy for me. What cN i do to soften.or break ir in more so its not so hard, stiff, zippy? I did was it in the washer once. Maybe a few more cycles thru washer? Run a belt sander over it lightly?

Maybe you can Gas it...........

Originally Posted by Gasman

The poly is too zippy for me. What cN i do to soften.or break ir in more so its not so hard, stiff, zippy? I did was it in the washer once. Maybe a few more cycles thru washer? Run a belt sander over it lightly?

I don't think the tactile feel of the strop matters. The results do.

I had to quit using hemp, I was developing a wicked cough and an overwhelming urge to listen to Skynerd.

Now that's just funny right there

Originally Posted by Gasman

The poly is too zippy for me. What cN i do to soften.or break ir in more so its not so hard, stiff, zippy? I did was it in the washer once. Maybe a few more cycles thru washer? Run a belt sander over it lightly?

I did not like the poly when I got it and just continued to use the linen component on the Illinois that I had. Because I had the poly I used it for the after-the-shave cleanup stropping. After two years now of using it this way the poly has soften out and the zippiness is muted; has much more feedback. I've actually grown to like it and use it a lot more now.

Paul

My first strop was a Parker red latigo with a black polyweb backing. I did not like the poly at first...too zippy. However, I have found that the more I use the poly, the more I like it. As the surface starts to wear from contact with the razor, the surface becomes smoother and softer. You might be able to speed up the wear by lightly sanding the surface. I would suggest, however, that you wash the material afterward to make sure no grit from the sandpaper is left behind; that would ruin your razor... and your day.

I prefer the premium linen on SRD's strops simply because of tradition and the lovely sound it makes while stropping. I have no factual basis for concluding it's any better or worse than the poly component on my other 2 SRD Premium strops.