canvas/linen to heat up blade edge?

[newson]

i recall reading in one of the old-time barber manuals that using the linen/canvas side was to heat the edge up, thereby facilitating the "smoothing" of the leather side. the abrasive role of the linen/canvas would be secondary to its friction-quality.

i guess the alternative would be to rinse the razor under hot water before leather stropping. does anyone to this?

[JohnP]

I've seen the same debate, and honestly, I still don't know what is really happening. One could argue many things and (it has been argued, even here).
I will say that while I do rinse my straight in hot water, the water isn't hot enough to compare to the suggested temperatures at the microscopic edge of the razor...
Not to mention-you would lose any heat gained by rinsing in hot water by drying the blade off before hitting the leather strop. Definitely do not strop a wet blade on your leather strop.
Personally? I think the linen/leather debate is far from over and probably has something to do with heat, and a lot to do with microscopic corrosion that forms on newly honed steel immediately. The linen could be knocking off the rough corrosion, microburrs and other mythical creatures from the edge prior to fine-tuning by the leather. Not having a microscope powerful enough to see what is happening however, I will just press the imaginary "I believe" button, and just realize it works.

John P.

[IsaacRN]

i recall reading in one of the old-time barber manuals that using the linen/canvas side was to heat the edge up, thereby facilitating the "smoothing" of the leather side. the abrasive role of the linen/canvas would be secondary to its friction-quality.

i guess the alternative would be to rinse the razor under hot water before leather stropping. does anyone to this?

I know Bill Ellis just suggested this thing for using pasted strops/paddles.

[Thebigspendur]

I don't see the advantage of running the razor under hot water for how long? then drying it off then leather stropping. Why not just use the linen in the first place?

[BillEllis]

I don't see the advantage of running the razor under hot water for how long? then drying it off then leather stropping. Why not just use the linen in the first place?A few of the old books and references have suggested that heat gives up a better edge on a strop. Scientifically, I don't know. It could be witchcraft for all I know. But heat is heat, whether it's hot water or linen that provides it. Degrees of heat? Best temp? Again, who knows?

Better heat on a linen strop than steamy water? What if you go slower on linen? Less heat? If your temp at the faucet is high, it takes less time to heat the blade than swiping away on the linen. Especially for those with a little less coordinaton. Coordination being calibrated by counting the slices a person has on the edge of their strop. Additionally, the heat generated at the cutting edge by using linen will dissipate faster than if the whole blade is hot as you transfer to the leather side of the strop... maybe.

It takes one pass with a piece of tissue to dry the blade after running it under water for 8.3 seconds. Personally, I don't like putting a delicate edge on the uneven surface of linen, so if an advantage even exists, that would be it. In reality there probably isn't an advantage. Honing a razor is only difficult if you make it difficult. There is more than one way to get to the same sharp edge. Trying new stuff is half the fun.

On production runs I use a heat gun rather than hot water when I am honing 10 to 15 in sequence. A lot of the time I forget to use heat at all. But, I still won't use linen no matter what anyone says... I don't like it... can't make me do it.

[loueedacat]

Coordination being calibrated by counting the slices a person has on the edge of their strop.

oh bummer.....I'm glad my coaches never saw the edge of my strop.....and here I thought I was coordinated! :eek: