Hairspray on Felt?

I've been experimenting with a little paddle strop I made, where one side is lined with hard felt. While not impeding use for the moment, some fibers extend up from the surface. So I am wondering if spraying the surface lightly with hairspray or sprayable cooking starch might help keep these loose fibers at bay.

Anyone try this? Recommendations for a spray to use? Maybe some sort of pencil-drawing fixative?

Basically, I am looking to use the felt as a kind of towel before leather, rather than with diamond paste for sharpening.

Hairspray is a new one on me... I don't think I'd do that but that's just me. You could always lightly singe off any errant fibres. Your drawing fixative is essentially just hairspray without the fragrance. I would think that the hairspray would seal the felt and negate any moisture wicking it would be able to do.

I think I would steer clear of hairspray, but a shave might do it some good. Speaking of running a garment razor over it like you use to remove the fuzz and pills from a sweater.

Thanks for your comments guys. Maybe a haircut with scissors? I've always used masking tape to clean up sweaters, but I don't think I would want to do so here. I've tried a rolling pin, but this didn't seem to help. Or I could just live with it as it is; it doesn't seem to be harming things.

Not that it's much help; but I never cared for what felt didn't do for my razors.

What did it not do?

It didn't do nothin'...



But, I see you're only interested in it as a drying element. It might be ok for that. But I have the feeling that felt isn't very absorbent.

My impression of felt is that it's a substrate, meant to have abrasive pastes or powders applied to it. Can't imagine it would have much effect by it's self.

Seraphim said:

It didn't do nothin'...



But, I see you're only interested in it as a drying element. It might be ok for that. But I have the feeling that felt isn't very absorbent.

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alpster said:

My impression of felt is that it's a substrate, meant to have abrasive pastes or powders applied to it. Can't imagine it would have much effect by it's self.

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Thanks. I mostly strop after shaving these days, so that's part of its effect or non-effect as it were. After shaving, I gently wipe the blade off with a bar towel, taking care to get the edge as well. But there is always a chance that I've missed something. So 10 laps or so on a linen or cotton strop to remove minute detritus and moisture that might still be lurking. With a paddle, I've found it very easy to cut the felt piece and glue it to one side, like I am doing with leather. It's there to fulfill the function of linen or cotton in this way. It's not there to improve the edge, just remove detritus and lingering humidity. The leather does the rest.

At most I would trim long frayed strands but would not apply anything to it. The purpose of untreated felt/linen is to clean and heat up the edge for stropping. The idea is that along with removing debris that the "fingers" of the edge will be more malliable for stropping and not break off.

Edit: If the felt or linen is treated with Crox or diamond paste then it is simply serving as a medium for that abrasive material.

Alum of Potash said:

Thanks. I mostly strop after shaving these days, so that's part of its effect or non-effect as it were. After shaving, I gently wipe the blade off with a bar towel, taking care to get the edge as well. But there is always a chance that I've missed something. So 10 laps or so on a linen or cotton strop to remove minute detritus and moisture that might still be lurking. With a paddle, I've found it very easy to cut the felt piece and glue it to one side, like I am doing with leather. It's there to fulfill the function of linen or cotton in this way. It's not there to improve the edge, just remove detritus and lingering humidity. The leather does the rest.

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Having taken a look through my scope at a razor after shaving I think your idea is a good one. Amazing just how much stuff clings to the razor after a shave even though you give it a good wipe. Maybe it is my water, but soap scum or hard water stains try to adhere to the blade. I think getting that stuff off is one of the better reasons for post shave stropping.

I suggest waving a rubber chicken over your razor after a shave as well.

Just for good luck, you know...



I think it may actually be more effective than felt.

Well, some knife sharpeners like to pass their edge through a piece a hard felt at the end; and with continued use, I note that the felt is turning a very slight grey tinge, so I suppose it's picking up something.

Alum of Potash said:

Well, some knife sharpeners like to pass their edge through a piece a hard felt at the end; and with continued use, I note that the felt is turning a very slight grey tinge, so I suppose it's picking up something.

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Yes, but it's not as funny as a rubber chicken. Seriously, I don't see how felt could be any less effective than newspaper, denim, bath towels or even a dry cotton canvas. All of which, have been suggested as acceptable strops. I have a brand new Star 3" strop with a felt second component and I have used it to dry my edges after shaving and I'm certain that it helps in that regard. I am also sorely tempted to charge one side with some feox and go to town on an edge that needs refreshing. Something tells me it will out perform balsa. The only reason I haven't is, I may gift the strop to a friend and I didn't want to mess it up.