Thread: SRD secondary material

If you clean your razor before stropping, is there still any benefit to the more fibrous materials?

Originally Posted by JP5

If you clean your razor before stropping, is there still any benefit to the more fibrous materials?

I believe that there is a fine abrasive effect, others disagree. Hemp and flax[linen] have a high silicon content, that's what makes the stocks able to grow tall. Silicon is an abrasive.

Originally Posted by JP5

If you clean your razor before stropping, is there still any benefit to the more fibrous materials?

You run higher grits when you hone. Vintage fire hose (flax) followed by linen/cotton.your choice, then leather hide of choice seems to bring another level of refinement. Or my OCD is just outta control.

I don't have any scientific evidence, but I did go a whole month with out my linen, I was not getting the edge I desired, went back to using the linen and everything went back to normal. I even discussed this experiment with Glen while I did it. So there it is, in my mind, it think it gets the edge clean from the microscopic oxidation that forms over time, and then straightens the edge so that the burnish from the leather us even and smooth, but no egghead data to offer, just my shave evidence. Tc

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

I don't have any scientific evidence, but I did go a whole month with out my linen, I was not getting the edge I desired, went back to using the linen and everything went back to normal. I even discussed this experiment with Glen while I did it. So there it is, in my mind, it think it gets the edge clean from the microscopic oxidation that forms over time, and then straightens the edge so that the burnish from the leather us even and smooth, but no egghead data to offer, just my shave evidence. Tc

Darn straight, cant explain it, I know it works, That flax stuff brings another level of sharp. test it, cant dispute the test. Linen smoothes it, . Same as folks using oxides and diamond sprays to the table , does it work or not? I know I dont like harsh and flax does it job. Sharp no harsh,

Well, where is a good 0lace to buy this flax? I have the hardware to put together a strop 8f i have to go that route.

I myself don't use that part of a strop, except after a fresh honing. And that's with a flax strop, coated with lead, or a poly strop coated with Cr/ox

Originally Posted by outback

I myself don't use that part of a strop, except after a fresh honing. And that's with a flax strop, coated with lead, or a poly strop coated with Cr/ox

Oh really?
I thought everyone used the secondary before leather, before shaving and after the shave to help clean. Well everyone is different. I think in secondary strop materials i have 1 suede, 2 poly, 3 cotton, 1 linen, 1 cotton with cr0x and 1 pressed felt with cr0x. Think i really dont need another. Lol.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Oh really?
I thought everyone used the secondary before leather, before shaving and after the shave to help clean. Well everyone is different. I think in secondary strop materials i have 1 suede, 2 poly, 3 cotton, 1 linen, 1 cotton with cr0x and 1 pressed felt with cr0x. Think i really dont need another. Lol.

I know what you mean.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Well, where is a good 0lace to buy this flax? I have the hardware to put together a strop 8f i have to go that route.

Now you will find out why poly is so popular. Flax linen is very hard to source in a webbing form. That's what lead me to trying hemp which has a fiber similar to flax. I even thought about making a small loom as linen thread is available. Now I find that I'm perfectly happy with poly.

There will be a few strops of mystery webbing for giveaways at the Denver meet. I have not tried it yet, but it feels promising.