what are the benifits to using denim as a stropping material before switching to leather. it seems like it makes the edge less harsh but idk. any thoughts
denim strop?
- Thread starter Staggers and Jags
- Start date
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I think that it depends on what the edge is coming off. Mine come off a 0.1μm diamond pasted balsa strop. I found the denim (or any cloth strop) before clean leather was detrimental to the edge so I stopped using it. I now go straight from the balsa to clean leather. Of course this all depends on what quality of edge you prefer to shave with.
I later found that stropping on natural chamois after my shave to clean the bevel worked well and was not detrimental to the edge.
I later found that stropping on natural chamois after my shave to clean the bevel worked well and was not detrimental to the edge.
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Not sure about the benefits, but I suppose it functions in the same way as a cotton or linen strop as a prep before leather. I find stropping knives on jeans or "fire-hose" carpenters pants to be very effective. To do this, I sit down in a chair, spread the material I'm wearing fairly taut along my thigh corresponding to my off-hand and start stropping. At a reunion of French straight-razor enthusiasts around ten years ago, I watched a guy do this with straight razors, claiming that that was the way he stropped them normally. Haven't tried it myself, but hey, why not? Makes a great, convex "paddle strop."
Cotton and flax linen are natural fibers that normally contain silicates. Those silicates act as abrasives to polish the edge. However, if you are like rbscebu and use a super fine pasted strop, the silicates may well be coarser than your pasted strop. In that case, using linen or cotton might well be detrimental to the edge.
I am not certain that the weave of the material makes a lot of difference. People use herringbone, sailcloth, twill, etc.
Some people use cloth strops made of synthetic materials such as polyester. However, since the fibers do not contain natural silicates, I am not certain they do much for the edge unless you use some type of added abrasive such as CrOX, diamond paste or CBN.
I am not certain that the weave of the material makes a lot of difference. People use herringbone, sailcloth, twill, etc.
Some people use cloth strops made of synthetic materials such as polyester. However, since the fibers do not contain natural silicates, I am not certain they do much for the edge unless you use some type of added abrasive such as CrOX, diamond paste or CBN.
It will work if you’re in a pinch. The benefit? You may be wearing it.
Denim works well as a strop substrate, but the problem with making it into a hanging strop is the fraying of the edges. It will need to be sewn or sealed and that can cause a lumpy, not smooth surface.
Cotton canvas is a much better weave, it has an extra locking thread that will not unravel and can be cut, left unsewn or sealed and makes a great substrate as a finishing strop or pasted.
I like Polyester canvas, (Sail Cloth) for pasted strops.
Cotton canvas is a much better weave, it has an extra locking thread that will not unravel and can be cut, left unsewn or sealed and makes a great substrate as a finishing strop or pasted.
I like Polyester canvas, (Sail Cloth) for pasted strops.
“I am not sure if it adds anything after that if there is no paste applied to it.”
Yes, anything you strop on will affect/polish the edge. Years ago, I experimented with news paper, collected a variety of papers and stropped on them, comparing the finishes with a USB scope and shave quality.
There was a pretty dramatic difference in the paper quality and ink, my favorite was the London Financial Times, a heavy pink newsprint. The differences were subtle but notably different.
Ink or dye on denim may be more abrasive as will the cleanliness of the fabric. Some canvas is also made from flax, and flax can be more abrasive/polishing depending on the weave and thread size.
At the least a cotton strop can clean the bevel of soap, skin, blood and rust. Soap, skin and blood hold water and will rust/oxidize the edge and bevel. Stropping cleaning the bevel will make an edge last longer, and also keep all that “smutch” off the leather strop, which should be pristine, but rarely are.
Yes, anything you strop on will affect/polish the edge. Years ago, I experimented with news paper, collected a variety of papers and stropped on them, comparing the finishes with a USB scope and shave quality.
There was a pretty dramatic difference in the paper quality and ink, my favorite was the London Financial Times, a heavy pink newsprint. The differences were subtle but notably different.
Ink or dye on denim may be more abrasive as will the cleanliness of the fabric. Some canvas is also made from flax, and flax can be more abrasive/polishing depending on the weave and thread size.
At the least a cotton strop can clean the bevel of soap, skin, blood and rust. Soap, skin and blood hold water and will rust/oxidize the edge and bevel. Stropping cleaning the bevel will make an edge last longer, and also keep all that “smutch” off the leather strop, which should be pristine, but rarely are.
Newsprint can make a pretty decent strop. Newsprint is made from ground up wood softened by steam and chemicals and then bleached to improve brightness. Like other natural fibers, wood contains silicates that are natural abrasives.
The inks used for printing are finely ground pigments suspended in a resin and oils. They are ideal for polishing an edge.
Although the cotton used to make denim will contain silicates, the Indigo color comes from an Azo dye rather than pigments. The dye will do nothing for your edge. By the way, your blue jeans are darker blue on the outside and light blue on the inside because the warp threads are dyed bue while the weft threads are left white.
The inks used for printing are finely ground pigments suspended in a resin and oils. They are ideal for polishing an edge.
Although the cotton used to make denim will contain silicates, the Indigo color comes from an Azo dye rather than pigments. The dye will do nothing for your edge. By the way, your blue jeans are darker blue on the outside and light blue on the inside because the warp threads are dyed bue while the weft threads are left white.
Just remember that there is a fabric made for men's clothing called "sharkskin". It can be made of many different types of natural and synthetic fibers. The characteristic sheen of sharkskin is based on the particular weave pattern.
However, there is a type of rough leather called Shagreen that can be made from the skin of a shark. However, the skin of a shark is quite rough, so it would take a lot of sanding to render it smooth enough for stropping a razor edge.
I learn something new every day. It just fun to read these old prints.
