Thread: dressing for linen side of strop question

Years ago, when Ray from Classic was still alive, he gave me a bunch of Dovo pastes including the white and some of the TI white paste.

As far as the Dovo white paste, I tried it on several vintage strops back then, using it with the cotton and linen strops and really never noticed any appreciable difference as a result of having put it on the strop. I never used a full tube, but used enough to coat the strop pretty well. You definitely have to let it dry before using and once does it darkens on the strop quickly with use.

Normally the edge on a razor should last someone with regular beard growth, using the same razor every day, 2-3 months before it starts to dull and needs to be honed or refreshed. I think the test on this would be to see how long you can go before needing a touch up or honing as a result of using the paste rather than a proclamation at 30 days that your razor is still sharp (which it should be anyway). It would also be interesting to see what the results are with a variety of razors, vintage and new and from various manufacturers.

I have not tested the white paste with the poly webbing material and may to see if any difference than what I got from cotton and linen.

On the TI white paste, it actually will make a razor sharper sometimes. If I line up 10 razors fresh off the hones and do 10 strokes ( I also experimented at 15 strokes and 20 strokes, but found 10 was optimal for me) with the TI white on either the back of a leather strop or on the cotton or linen strop, I could normally rely on 3-4 of them really providing a nice shave. I played with this stuff for months. I never could figure out what razor it was going to work on, what razor it would dull and what razor it would seem to do nothing on. The TI white paste really loads up quickly and turns black almost from the first razor that hits it.

Have fun,

Lynn

hey thanks for the thoughts Lynn. why does it matter that the white paste dry? (I suppose it might help to understand the physics of just what the linen is doing that the leather strop isn't, and how the white paste is supposed to change/improve that.)

that sure is weird what you describe about the T-I paste. Sounds wonky. Makes me only want to bother trying it if I get a T-I razor at some point.

Also, when you cite that 2-3-month baseline, I'm guessing you mean should be able to last 2-3 months with just leather stropping, with maybe some plain linen/canvas? No barber hones, diamond pastes, CROX, etc. Is that right? And, of course, what you say indeed sounds like a good test - but investing a few months of daily use with something is a lot - and includes committing to keeping everything else constant. One can't do that with everything. Science? Art? Science? Art?

Originally Posted by Mijbil

hey thanks for the thoughts Lynn. why does it matter that the white paste dry? (I suppose it might help to understand the physics of just what the linen is doing that the leather strop isn't, and how the white paste is supposed to change/improve that.)

that sure is weird what you describe about the T-I paste. Sounds wonky. Makes me only want to bother trying it if I get a T-I razor at some point.

Also, when you cite that 2-3-month baseline, I'm guessing you mean should be able to last 2-3 months with just leather stropping, with maybe some plain linen/canvas? No barber hones, diamond pastes, CROX, etc. Is that right? And, of course, what you say indeed sounds like a good test - but investing a few months of daily use with something is a lot - and includes committing to keeping everything else constant. One can't do that with everything. Science? Art? Science? Art?

The white paste like most pastes I have played with has some moisture in it. Feels greasy when you rub it, then sort of wet and then it dries but still a little greasy feeling. In any case, If you just use these pastes as soon as you put them on, you get most of it right back off and usually on the razor. Once it dries, it seems more effective for the intended use. You will have to do the physics.

We are all always looking for pastes, strops, stones and razors to be able to enjoy this experience just a little better. It never ends and neither should people trying as much of this out for themselves as possible. This is the nature of this sport unless you are just interested in shaving.....

You are correct in the baseline being a razor that is stropped on plain cotton or linen and then leather as compared to using the paste to see if it extends the period of time required to refresh or re-hone. You would use one freshly honed razor daily for with the paste to see how long it takes. This is pretty straight forward. I think Glen did a stropping test for months at one point to help take something from the "I think" perspective to this is what happened. You can speculate on things forever, but the knowledge comes from the actual experience.

Have fun,

Lynn

Originally Posted by hghtsbrb

Lynn, as a barber, I find myself having to use 2 razors for a shave, or stropping half way thru the shave! The reason I started this post was I thought there was something I was missing as far as paste on the linen side.

My experience is from Barber hones w/lather, hanging strop w/dovo yellow for the leather, and nothing for the linen side.

After reading your comment, about using the same razor every day, you have confirmed there may be a technique or tool that I am lacking.

What kind of set up would you recommend? Do I need something custom or does SRD have something standard? My razor business is really picking up and I need to find a way to be more faster/efficient and deliver quality results; need to figure out how to keep my blades sharper for longer. Thanks...

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You might want to watch the Mastro Livi videos to learn his palm stropping method. I have been palm-stropping at mid-shave for several weeks and it seems to be helping my edge regardless of which razor I am using.

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Originally Posted by mrsell63

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You might want to watch the Mastro Livi videos to learn his palm stropping method. I have been palm-stropping at mid-shave for several weeks and it seems to be helping my edge regardless of which razor I am using.

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Actually, Don and I have and continue to give classes at a local Barber College, teaching guys how to strop and hone as well as discussing self shaving techniques. These folks really get into this and it is a lot of fun for us. Having a Barber in the group from Canton, OH which is about 1/2 from me is killer and I will undoubtedly not only make it there for a shave, but have him over to get the opportunity to use all my hones, strops and talk shop

Lynn

I have always wondered if the old timers ended up with hone slurry/ dust
on their strops over time. Coticule slurry dust might make a great canvas
strop dressing in modest amounts.

My opinion/ thought on this is that the canvas cleaned the
steel so the leather stayed cleaner. Small amounts of iron oxide would be
removed from the blade and small crinkled bits of the blade would "snag"
and pull straight on the fibers of the canvas side. Then the leather would
finish the clean up and also work harden the cutting edge as it pulls it straight.
Small amounts of oil/ fat on the leather would also protect the edge from oxidation.

I also suspect that the nature of the canvas/ linen has a lot to do with
stropping. My Illinois linen/ canvas is so clogged with sizing that it does not
act like fabric to my hand. I have taken to giving it spritzes of 0.25 micron
diamond which seems to cut the sizing as much as it polishes steel. I wish
I had access to some old chalk board dust instead.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

I have always wondered if the old timers ended up with hone slurry/ dust
on their strops over time. Coticule slurry dust might make a great canvas
strop dressing in modest amounts.

My opinion/ thought on this is that the canvas cleaned the
steel so the leather stayed cleaner. Small amounts of iron oxide would be
removed from the blade and small crinkled bits of the blade would "snag"
and pull straight on the fibers of the canvas side. Then the leather would
finish the clean up and also work harden the cutting edge as it pulls it straight.
Small amounts of oil/ fat on the leather would also protect the edge from oxidation.

I also suspect that the nature of the canvas/ linen has a lot to do with
stropping. My Illinois linen/ canvas is so clogged with sizing that it does not
act like fabric to my hand. I have taken to giving it spritzes of 0.25 micron
diamond which seems to cut the sizing as much as it polishes steel. I wish
I had access to some old chalk board dust instead.

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Thanks Nifty

I feel much the same way about the purpose of the web strop.

May I suggest that you gently wash your clogged Illinois linen with Woolite and a soft brush. Then let it dry naturally while laying perfectly flat. That should get you back to a near new surface on the webbing.

If you try the Woolite, let me know how it came out. Thanks

JERRY

Originally Posted by mrsell63

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Thanks Nifty

I feel much the same way about the purpose of the web strop.

May I suggest that you gently wash your clogged Illinois linen with Woolite and a soft brush. Then let it dry naturally while laying perfectly flat. That should get you back to a near new surface on the webbing.

If you try the Woolite, let me know how it came out. Thanks

JERRY

I did wash it a couple months back and it has so much "plastic"
sizing it did not even get wet. Used Williams and a CVS boar brush.
It did clean off the surface..... and did get it close to 'new' except I did
not like it new. It is so tempting to "fix" it but since it
will change over time I just need to give it some....

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

.... I have taken to giving it spritzes of 0.25 micron diamond which seems to cut the sizing as much as it polishes steel. I wish I had access to some old chalk board dust instead.

I researched this a bit and am now certain that the chalk that they are referring to in the old texts as "magnesia" is carbonate of magnesia, currently still available as chalk for rope climbers, gymnasts, and weightlifters. Apparently blackboard chalk is a different chemical (based on gypsum). I bought a cloth bag the size of a softall full of it for $5. If you can't find any locally where the wall climbing guys and gals buy their stuff I know you can order it from www.mec.ca. I just rub the cloth ball of chalk against the linen strop and then use the palm of my hand to rub the chalk dust into the waeve of the fabric. Semms to stick ok.

Originally Posted by mrsell63

There you have it as the British say!!

A pasted strop is reserved for a freshly honed razor edge and a clean, unpasted strop is reserved for an edge dressing in between shaves, period.

What a beautifully simple rule!!!

K.I.S.S.

I'll bet Jimmy feels much the same way................!!!

+1
Spot on .... good simple rule.