Strop materials?

[seattleshaver]

I have a hanging strop with fine grained leather on one side, rough leather on the other side and then a poly strop with differing texture on each side.

Does the poly strop do anything different than a linen or canvass strop? I think of all the non-leather strops as just drying and cleaning, straightening up the blade a bit before hitting the leather. Is there is actual difference in the results between those different (non-leather) materials?

 

[Jnatcat]

I have a Kanayama 70000 that came with three pieces ( Cordovan, Scrub Leather and Cotton webbing ) I have yet to find a use for the cotton webbing as I think it's hard on an edge but that's me so all I use is the Cordovan shell pre shave with about 50 laps then 25/25 on scrub leather/cordovan post shave, I believe the scrub leather dries and clean any soap/water off the edge before hitting the leather, you can try the webbing with say 10-15 light laps but i would be surprised if it did not knock the edge back some.

 

[dmatcuk]

It could just all be in my mind, but I think it helps calm an edge down some. I have a strop with the webbed poly second piece. You can use it for cleaning/drying too if you want. Typically I use it for when the edge starts to get rough. I do maybe 20 laps on it before the leather and get some better shaves. It seems to me to prolong the need for a balsa or pasted strop. It is very loud though, so I got to make sure to use it when the kids aren't sleeping haha!