I have been experimenting the past day or so and notice it significantly better to have a slight upward angle from waist height to say 6 inches up where the strop is attached. All the sudden my stropping has improved tremendously. the katayama strop I bought through the classifieds here has also made a tremendous difference in not only my appreciation for stropping but the quality of my shave. Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning the linen of the katayama as mine has about a 2" oil stain through it which I don't even know where it came from and some light chrome oxide stains on it from when I used to use that with another strop (apparently contageous stuff). I have found the new strop linen seems to do a great job without any paste and that stuff is a mess.
oh and I know they dont recommend anything for prepping the strop except your hands sweat but i would like to do a light cleaning and conditioning of the leather as some bits are discolored if anyone has any suggestions.