Thread: Beginner questions on strops

Originally Posted by Knife

Is linen better?

That is also a difficult question to answer. Some feel that linen is slightly more abrasive than cotton and prefeer it for that reason. Most of the cotton strops have a "hard" surface finish and a nubby, bumpier texture - not unlike the weave of a fire hose. I prefer the linen only because the razor doesn't make as mush noise on it as compared to the cotton. And that's the best reason I can come up with for using one rather than the other. I have no way to defend selection process of one rather than the other, but the cotton strop to my ears seems to make about a 40 grit whistle.

We have some honemeisters among our group here, maybe there are also some stropmeisters here who can provide a better answer. That cotton stuff has been in use for years, so it must be just a fine medium for helping to set the edge for a fine shave. I simply like the linen better.

I like D-rings, plain square cut ends can give you a hand cramp if you have to strop a lot of razors...like after you've honed a few for customers and that's when you'll be glad you have a D-ring or handle...
My strop has a felt component and leather, on the felt I spray .25 micron diamond spray, and I use that periodically to more aggressively realign a dulling razor when the leather just isn't getting the job done. I also use the .25 diamond on felt between my 12K finisher and plain leather strop.

Linen?
Without an electron microscope it is hard to communicate what
it does. Here is my opinion.

Fabric (linen, canvas, felt, nylon) does three things:

* It hooks and pulls hooks and crooks off the steel. Especially
the micro folds that shaving gives the thin cutting edge. Included
in this is the removal of any micro burr.

* It removes soap scum, and the inevitable thin patches of
corrosion.

* It traps microscopic bits of carbide and oxide enabling the
fabric to polish the steel. this is the grey tone that fabric
develops over time.

In short it makes the blade "strop ready" for smooth leather stropping.

The removal of micro "hook like" artifacts of honing is critical
for a smooth shave and is why so many folks paste a canvas
strop for use after honing. It is the fibers of the fabric that
tidy up these hooks and explains why folk can use so many
different materials. Linen can refer to either a weave or to
the material... The nylon fabric weave is very smooth to strop
on... as is denim. They are all good to strop on... a lot
of preferences build on what one learns on and yes an older
broken in canvas strop is way nicer than it was a year or
more before.

What does the linen do? It turns gray/black in few weeks.
And keeps my edges going 'long time', just what 15 bucks is supposed to do.