Thread: The Leather versus Linen Controversy ; Poll

I have been greatly influenced by the posts on stropping by mparker762 as far as the efficacy of linen and by AFDavis 11 on the importance of stropping. From reading their posts on the topic I've put an emphasis on focusing on my stropping rather than 'zoning out' and doing it on automatic pilot. I gauge the feel of the blade on the strop and the tautness of my pull, the speed of travel.

Thebigspendur did a series of tests to find the optimum number of strokes a couple of years ago and came to the conclusion that 60 was the maximum and past that you've reached the point of diminishing returns. If you do a forum search for 'The great experiment' you'll find the details.

In a thread called 'Interesting Article' seen here maparker762 posted,"I've been doing a lot of experimenting with stropping lately and one thing I've noticed is that I have been drastically understropping my razors these past years. If I only did 10-15 laps on the linen and 30 or so on the leather then my edges would last about ten days. But if I did 40-50 on the linen and 30 or so on leather then the edges didn't really deteriorate at all over several months." So for mparker the linen is of great importance in maintaining an edge. In my stropping routine I have settled on 50 linen or fabric and 25 latigo/25 horse.

Some people feel that linen/fabric is unnecessary. IME based on the HHT the linen or fabric greatly enhances my edges before the leather. In the excellent couple of pages on stropping found in the 1961 barber manual excerpt here they say,"After the razor has been keenly honed it is ready to be stropped. Although it may have a perfectly honed edge, one that will split a fine hair with ease, it is not yet smooth enough to be used on the face. Remember a razor should never be used for shaving without being stropped."

So accepting the premise that a razor must be stropped for best results I continued reading and was intrigued to find that even among professional barbers fifty years ago there was a difference of opinion on the value of stropping with the linen component. Quoting the manual again,"Most barbers use a pair of strops consisting of a canvas and a leather. The relative importance of canvas and leather is still a moot question. The viewpoint is accepted by barbers that the leather stop is indispensable where the canvas may or may not be necessary, depending on the individual's coordination of hone and strop. With some types of hones, however the canvas is considered to be necessary."

While the manual was written by and for professional barbers I have found one area I disagree with IME. The manual says,"When the razor is freshly honed, it should be finished on the leather only. Subsequently, it is advisable to use the canvas first, then the leather." Trying it both ways I have found I get better results coming off of the hones with the linen or fabric before the leather. So if you've persevered and read thus far the question is how you feel about the linen/fabric and it's importance in your stropping routine ? For me both components are essential.

For me, I need both... In fact, my full rotation is SRD Felt, TM Linen, SRD Nylon, TM nylon, TM latigo, SRD Bridle, TM Horsehide, SRD Premium I.

I put as much value on fabric as on leather... I've always gotten better results by including fabrics, but other people have the opposite, so who knows?

I use both. I get really good results with my SRD black latigo (I've been resisting the Premium I, but I can feel my resolve weakening! ) doing 30 webbed fabric and 60 leather.

When I started I only used the leather side of my first strop, but when I started using the material as well, I found that my edges lasted longer and seemed to feel smoother on my face as well. It may have been my imagination, but it just felt better to me..!

I've pasted my old strop with CrOx on the leather and white chalk paste on the canvas and I use that one after honing as part of the edge refinement, or for touch ups, so both sides of that one get used too.

Originally Posted by Stubear

(I've been resisting the Premium I, but I can feel my resolve weakening! )

Tell me about it. I'm in love with the Premium 1 but the Zombie is killing me with these posts about how great the bridle leather is .... the long one ..... sooner or later I know I'll end up going for it , I need another strop like I need another hole in my head but that hasn't stopped me yet.

Hehe! Yeah, it was Jeremy's comments about the Premium I that piqued my interest. I'm definately keen to get one, just with cotton herringbone weave instead of webbed fabric.

Jeremy, stop enabling us..!

Actually, I could use some more enabling, after all I havent bought it yet..!

I have been greatly influenced by the posts on stropping by mparker762 as far as the efficacy of linen and by AFDavis11

Same here, Jimmy. Whereas Alan doesn't do as many strokes
on the leather, I've combined the 60 strokes with some of his
technique: I do 40 laps on the taut leather with a fairly light
touch, and then 20 laps with no pressure at all.

The linen gets 60 laps with no pressure.

- Scott

I learned to use the linen 29 years ago I ain't about to change now...

I do agree with the linen off the hones Jimmy, in fact I specifically use the Illinois #827 for that... Right after those 50 linen laps is when I check the edge under a loop too... That stiff linen will find any problems right then and there, after that I do 100 on the Russian leather and test shave...

Everyday use I have settled on 25/50 on the SRD Premium 1 the Bridle is looking appealing to try, out not that I need another strop, but hey I don't need 70 razors either...

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Tell me about it. I'm in love with the Premium 1 but the Zombie is killing me with these posts about how great the bridle leather is .... the long one ..... sooner or later I know I'll end up going for it , I need another strop like I need another hole in my head but that hasn't stopped me yet.

Originally Posted by Stubear

I've been resisting the Premium I, but I can feel my resolve weakening!

Aaaaaw... Did I do 'dat?

Mah bad

Well, I only have four razors... Maybe there's a secret here.. you just need 3-10 razors, and 40-50 strops.. not the other way around!!

Originally Posted by Stubear

Hehe! Yeah, it was Jeremy's comments about the Premium I that piqued my interest. I'm definately keen to get one, just with cotton herringbone weave instead of webbed fabric.

Jeremy, stop enabling us..!

Actually, I could use some more enabling, after all I havent bought it yet..!

Well, I want the herringbone on my Premium I too... (I haven't got the hanger... yet, just the paddle)

But I hear so many guys saying the nylon out and out beats anything else, for the most part...

Oh well.. One of everythign, right?

I voted undecided

Strapping on linen makes enough of an improvement for me sometimes to warrant being referred to as an important part of my routine, but other times it does not.

I suppose it depends on many variables that I do not understand, and for that cause I may remain generally undecided. Much experimentation is needed