Normally, people strop on plain leather, or on plain fabric. Stropping realigns the microscopic teeth at the apex. A loaded strop has abrasive and is removing material at the edge. This really isn’t necessary to do after every shave.

Many people prefer to strop just before shaving. I prefer to strop after shaving because it helps ensure that the edge is free of moisture. I strop on linen, or flax, then strop on leather. I normally do 20 laps on the fabric, and 40 laps on the leather. If you are looking for a good “first” strop, Duke City, on eBay has a great product. For high quality at a fair price my friend Tony Miller (Heirloom Strops) is the guy.