'Aggressiveness' of strops and razor edges?

I've read numerous times about someone describing the feedback and use/qualities of strops being some form of 'aggressive'. For instance, flax or plain linen strops, even strong vintage firehouse strops seem to be so textually prominent, that I can't imagine they would be OK to use on delicate edges of razors. Wouldn't you want something smoother than something with lots of texture (at a macroscopic level at least), say a 'smoother' leather strop, just like you would use a very smooth/fine hone (for finishing at least)? I could see such strops being useful for knives, but for razors? Someone please enlighten me.

I use a linen/cotton strop after my shaves primarily to insure the edge is dry. The theory is, as far as I know, that each and every bump on the linen (bump as in natural bump from the weave) tends to catch any part of the very edge that is starting to turn or roll from use and thus do the preliminary edge straightening, leaving the final polish to the leather strop.

In any case, aggressive use of ANY strop can/will damage the edge, a light hand is important.

I will not touch my razors to a linen strop after honing, I'm happy with the idea that the hone has kept the edge straight and only do a very light stropping on leather. After the shave, I wipe the blade clean with a cotton terry towel and then do a few very light strokes on a linen strop to dry the very edge.

Perhaps it's my technique, or my linens, but I have never been able to improve the edge on any of my straights over just stropping on leather, so I stick with leather for stropping and as I said, I'll use the linen strictly for drying.

Others have different views and results.

Regards

Christian

That's my understanding as well, that the linen/cotton/felt side does the preliminary straightening, broad strokes as it were, and the leather does the fine tuning, with perhaps a little polishing action if done enough.

People often use a rougher strop for pastes as well or the rougher side of a smooth strop.

I just do as was described above. I do a few laps on linen to make sure the edge is dry and clean before going to the fine leather strop.

After I use a pasted strop I clean the edge with my fingers or by stropping on my leg for a second and then go to the linen strop (to make sure all of the paste is off) before going to the leather.

Everyone uses variations on the same theme. Linen, Flax, firehose or whatever for aligning the edge and some type of leather to burnish/polish the edge. Using a light hand, as in the weight of the razor, can't be overstressed to avoid damaging the edge.

I do 10-20 strokes on an English linen (flax) strop post shave to dry the edge/bevel after drying the blade with some toilet paper. I also do a regular stropping routine after honing. I do laps on a hanging hard felt strop sprayed with crox, wipe the blade down and do a regular linen and leather routine to finish.

Bob

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Originally Posted by Shokunin

I've read numerous times about someone describing the feedback and use/qualities of strops being some form of 'aggressive'. For instance, flax or plain linen strops, even strong vintage firehouse strops seem to be so textually prominent, that I can't imagine they would be OK to use on delicate edges of razors. .

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And yet they have been, and have worked for Millions of men for hundreds of years... :) Proof is in the use

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Originally Posted by kaptain_zero

I will not touch my razors to a linen strop after honing, I'm happy with the idea that the hone has kept the edge straight and only do a very light stropping on leather. After the shave, I wipe the blade clean with a cotton terry towel and then do a few very light strokes on a linen strop to dry the very edge.

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The 1961 barber manual on honing/stropping excerpt PDF says to strop on leather only after honing. They recommend linen and then leather once the razor has been used for shaving. I followed this advice for a long while, then speaking with one of the premier pro honers I was surprised to find out that he does linen/leather after honing.

Says it knocks off any divots or anomalies (the linen) after the honing. So I tried it both ways, I haven't come to a conclusion, so I stick with leather like my friend the Kaptain. All stropping once the razor is shaving is done linen/leather, but, following the shave I rinse and dry with a paper towel, then leather only to get the striations in the bevel dry. Different strokes for different folks.

Member DaveW, and maybe Utopian IIRC, have said that a razor can be well maintained for a long period of continuous use by stropping alone. I can't say through my own experience because I rotate so many it is difficult to keep track.

Same here Jimmy

I went with Leather only after honing for quite some time, then it occurred to me that the linen would find any "weak" spots in the edge so I switched

That was about 2008 IIRC

To this day I finish honing, then strop on linen, pull out the loupe and look for any issues, then finish on leather.. I figure if the edge isn't solid enough to hold up to the linen it should not be going on my Hollywood face anyway :)

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Same here Jimmy

I went with Leather only after honing for quite some time, then it occurred to me that the linen would find any "weak" spots in the edge so I switched

That was about 2008 IIRC

To this day I finish honing, then strop on linen, pull out the loupe and look for any issues, then finish on leather.. I figure if the edge isn't solid enough to hold up to the linen it should not be going on my Hollywood face anyway :)

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glen I agreed with you all the way up to the Hollywood face bit ! Tc

By Hollywood face he meant Marty Feldman.

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Originally Posted by gcbryan

By Hollywood face he meant Marty Feldman.

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It's not by chance that I have made a change to this post.

I have made more posts in jest that anyone else on SRP & I have been asked to pull a couple over the years.
I have learned the hard way.

Your post was directed at a Senior Moderator, with a photo that was inappropriate.

So lets roll back on topic , Please.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

It's not by chance that I have made a change to this post.

I have made more posts in jest that anyone else on SRP & I have been asked to pull a couple over the years.
I have learned the hard way.

Your post was directed at a Senior Moderator, with a photo that was inappropriate.

So lets roll back on topic , Please.

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No offense intended. Remove the whole post if you wish. If the original post was offensive (not my intent) then the remark about Marty Feldman must be offensive as well.

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Originally Posted by gcbryan

No offense intended. Remove the whole post if you wish. If the original post was offensive (not my intent) then the remark about Marty Feldman must be offensive as well.

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Action has been taken; we are back on topic now.

After honing or before the shave I always hit the linen for 25 laps and then on to the leather for at least 75. Now my fire house type linen is softer than any other I have felt and not stiff at all. Also, used on a paddle. I have a nice hanger and the linen is much stiffer and the blade zips across it like finger nails on a washboard. I can't feel/see any difference on the edge :<0)

Thanks for the advice Glen, it's worked for years !

I once didn't use my linen in my routine, something wasn't quite right, I did it again still not right, I went back to using my linen. Nothing scientific about my reasoning, just what my face tells me. none of my razors ever go without linen, either daily SE or after a hone, it's liven first every time,, can't help but think your right Glen it's been done for a one time before us, it must work. Tc

We're creatures of habit and often times do what someone once taught us to do I mean, why do we put our pants on one leg at a time and not just jump into them both at the same time?

At any rate I use Linen and always have. I've always felt it helps the edge. Maybe we can feel it and maybe not. We would need a blind study to test that out.

I find that even right off the hones a little trip on linen helps smooth out the edge that much quicker. This depending entirely on the hone of course, some have less need for the razor to be tuned afterward. 20-25 laps, then 50-75 on leather. My current operating theory is that linen grabs and removes any little bits of swarf , burrs, foiled material, or debris that are still clinging to the edge after honing.

I was also reading an interesting translation of a Japanese test (Iwasaki I think was the original author?) that suggested not over-cleaning linen as the blackened material that has metal embedded in it will help put a finer polish on your blade. Interesting theory that kinda makes me wish I had left my strop alone, I literally cleaned it the day before I found that text on the assumption that black schmootz = bad.

At any rate, the only way linen is going to hurt your edge is if you lift the spine and roll it.

I use a Mastro Livi loom strop. He states in his directions and videos, using the skin side should be sufficient until the blade starts to tug. He then recommends the use of the chromium oxide on his linen. I find his directions result in the blade edge being restored very quickly to it's maximum shave quality. He states proper maintenance using this technique results in much less need for stones. I have used his razors for 2 years and haven't needed to hone on a stone yet. It also works very well with all my other razors. I shave every day.

Opinions vary re stropping with anything post shave. Personally, I just dry the razor properly spray the razor with a product Inox Mx3 (Non-corrosive, non petro based lubricant ideal for the purpose) and put it away.
To demonstrate what the strop adds to the edge, many members may use a HHT after the hone. It might work, or it may miss or violin. Give the razor 20 laps on leather and try the HHT again, you should notice a difference. An old barber told me that he may use the strop up to five or six times a day. Never stropped it after a shave, only in the seconds before use, and I have always felt that the edge of the razor oxidises, so instead of making it as sharp as it can be post shave, i use the spray to exclude oxygen from it, and cant see why it needs to be sharp just to sit in it's case till next it is used. So I exclude oxygen until I next use that razor, then use linen/suede/leather just before shaving. Just my opinion, I'm sure there are other valid views.