Beginner questions on strops

Hey guys, I'm looking for a little help with getting a strop.

Now as far as the leather goes, I figure leathers, leather and it'll all do the same thing, getting a leather strop is a matter of getting good quality stuff with a good size. If I'm wrong let me know.

What I'm really perplexed about is the linen/nylon/cotton....whatever. First off, if the leather is to realign the metal particles, what does the linen do? I've heard you only use the linen right after honing, but I've also heard people use it every day? Which is right?

Lastly, I both visually and practically like the D-rings for holding the strop, but it doesn't seem to be popular. And due to that fact I feel that maybe the D-ring can possibly get bothersome holding maybe? But having to grip the more popular handle style end, requires actual gripping which I imagine can also be bothersome? Any advice?

I don't use hanging strops except for the linen side on one of mine. I can tell you that I am getting good results from 30 laps on linen first, then 100 laps, sometimes only 50, on plain leather. I think the linen does what the leather later does but slightly more aggressively.

I have strops with D-rings, handles and just a "barber's end" , and they all work equally well.

So what does the linen do?

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Originally Posted by Knife

Hey guys, I'm looking for a little help with getting a strop.

Now as far as the leather goes, I figure leathers, leather and it'll all do the same thing, getting a leather strop is a matter of getting good quality stuff with a good size. If I'm wrong let me know.

What I'm really perplexed about is the linen/nylon/cotton....whatever. First off, if the leather is to realign the metal particles, what does the linen do? I've heard you only use the linen right after honing, but I've also heard people use it every day? Which is right?

Lastly, I both visually and practically like the D-rings for holding the strop, but it doesn't seem to be popular. And due to that fact I feel that maybe the D-ring can possibly get bothersome holding maybe? But having to grip the more popular handle style end, requires actual gripping which I imagine can also be bothersome? Any advice?

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You know, I really don't have much of a clue other than I've been able to keep a razor servicable longer with using the cloth strop first, in my case it's linen, versus just leather alone. And this is not much of a scientific test.

The many of the old barber strops didn't have handles at all; they just had square cut ends that were grasped between thumb and forefinger. The newer strops which have the D rings attached with Chicago screws are made by those who don't have harness stitchers and can't sew the handle on. The handles, regardless of construction, are easiest to use for pulling the strop taut. The only concern is running the laps up and down too long and flipping the edge against the Chicago screws if you have one of the modern, non-stitched varieties. Other than that, leather is pretty much leather on a good quality strop. I prefer horsehide for its gentle draw.

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Originally Posted by Knife

So what does the linen do?

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It's been argued that the cloth strop removes the microscopic corrosion, which may be on the edge, better than does leather.

I don't have a scanning electron microscope and thus find myself in my typical condition - clueless, but opinionated.

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Originally Posted by Bruce

I prefer horsehide for its gentle draw.

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That sound nice. I've heard of draw not to familiar, but from what I know theres not much to it, its more what tactile response you prefer. I think I would prefer a gentle glide.

Where can I find that?

The cloth strop is rougher than leather and has a heavier effect which really means it's a very, very mild abrasive so it doesn't really sharpen the edge (though some would say it does if done enough) but has a greater effect than plain leather. So just consider stropping a two stage deal, cloth first and then leather. As far as what it physically does to the edge, we've discussed this forever and I don't know we've ever come to a real conclusion on it.

Draw is just a quality some leather has. You can enhance it and produce it if the strop doesn't naturally have it but personally it's just a quality you either like or don't. The only exception to me is after honing I find if I use a strop that exhibits draw the sharper the edge the greater the amount of draw there is. In such case I know if there is little draw the razor is not shave ready however if there is plenty of draw it doesn't mean it is shave ready.

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Originally Posted by Knife

That sound nice. I've heard of draw not to familiar, but from what I know theres not much to it, its more what tactile response you prefer. I think I would prefer a gentle glide.

Where can I find that?

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You could try contacting either Straight Razor Designs or The Well Shaved Gentleman The Heirloom Razor Strop Company Both have horeshide strops. This draw business is personal preference. Some like to feel some resistance (draw) when working the razor up and down the strop, some like a lot, some not so much. I'm in the not so much category and have found that horsehide provides that "not so much" draw. But it also depends on how the various leathers are treated. The more oils and waxes you work into the leather during the tanning process, the greater the draw will be.

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Originally Posted by Bruce

The Well Shaved Gentleman The Heirloom Razor Strop Company

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I like their strops, very nice. While I prefer a more tanned or black strop, the more plan look, looks to me like it would function better for its intended use.

They offer an option for the accompanying linen/cotton strop and the linen is quite a bit more money. Now the cotton just sounds better to me, and again I don't know what I'm talking about, but it just seems it'll bend better, will really get in there to; clean, polish, realign......., and I'm would figure the cotton would create a good friction heat affect that would aid in stropping? However it looks like I'm wrong, because although not always the case, usually the more expensive option is thee more desirable? Is linen better?

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Originally Posted by Knife

Is linen better?

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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.