Thread: What is your favorite fabric?

Been straight razor shaving for six months or so and I already own five strops. What I am wondering is what fabric all you gentlemen like best and why? I think it would be helpful information for us newer guys to know what to look for when we decide to order a new strop.

Leather, obviously (and which type is a big enough subject for multiple threads)
Hard Felt


Those are the standards, but I'll start the thread off with one I've not heard of guys here using. Billard Table Felt. It's very thin so it must be used on a paddle strop. But I'm loving it...maybe just because of my DIY nature, time will tell.

Danricgro,

I have cotton, linen, felt & poly-web.

Of these, I like the linen the best, though all of them, for me, give excellent results.

As with a lot of things shaving, I haven't got a shred of evidence that the linen is any better for my blades - I just prefer it

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I have been using the standard vintage linen/canvas for years and then I got one of Lynns strops with the poly web a couple of years ago, it's very nice. But here in the last year I have been using a hemp herringbone webbing that I think is fantastic.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

I have been using the standard vintage linen/canvas for years and then I got one of Lynns strops with the poly web a couple of years ago, it's very nice. But here in the last year I have been using a hemp herringbone webbing that I think is fantastic.

The hemp webbing is great. If you ever get the chance to use this don't pass it up you won't be disappointed.

I have a hemp, many poly webbing, a vintage linen, a newer linen, straight cotton, v-cotton, denim and a few others I can't think of right now.
My favorite is the vintage linen over all, but my favorite right off the hones is the v-cotton or the new linen and my favorite for daily is either the vintage linen or the denim. I cannot quantify my thoughts on this, but I must say that the deeper poly webbing I dislike for no other reason than the feeling of it. I cannot attest to the function since I cant get past the feel.

Favorite fabric is TM linen. My best strop purchase bybfar was a TM linen and horsehide. Would not sell it for four times what I paid.

As an experiment, I've been using a tightly woven strip of kevlar to see how it works. So far it performs as well as any of the other fabrics I've used. Next step is to paste it and see how it holds up.

I would be careful with putting an abrasive on to kevlar. Kevlar typical begins to break down after 5-7 years naturaly and adding an abrasive to it may speed that up.