Thread: The World's Cheapest 30k Hone

I've been meaning to take pictures of show and tell razors, how I hold a barber style strop and the cheapest ugliest but absolutely effective 30,000 grit edge refreshing hone. I finally got around to snapping some pics.

This "hone" is nothing new but its simplicity will surprise some I'm sure. Balsa wood and pastes are a well known compatible combo. Balsa is commonly found in the U.S. in hobby stores and craft stores in 1/4" x 3" x 36" planks. They sell for around $3-$4. I've cut some 8"-10" sections and bonded them to some thick plexi glass; I use those for diamond pastes. The very first balsa hone/strop I made is the one you'll see here. I've been using it for about 1 1/2 years and it sits in my medicine cabinet above my shave sink for easy access. Yup, guys, it's a sawed off section of the balsa plank. That's it. I used some of the Hand American .5 micron chrome ox powder I have (still have some to sell you just need to go about six pages deep in the strops and hones section of the classifieds) and mixed that with some honing oil (mineral oil really) and painted a bit on the surface. The balsa is not perfectly flat, but that doesn't matter for two reasons: 1) I "painted" the side that was very slightly convex. 2) Held in my hand, this 1/4" balsa piece has a small bit of flex contacting the whole edge during a touch up. I use this to refresh an edge usually once every two weeks to a month depending on the razor. Most often 10-25 passes on this balsa is all that's needed to bring an edge back to beautiful. Same piece of balsa, same initial application of chrome ox and light oil and it doesn't give up. $4 for a packet of chrome ox, $3 for balsa and a few bucks for some mineral or other light oil. That's a 30k hone for $10. Enough of my yappin, here's the tool:





Sure you can pretty up a balsa strop/hone. I still haven't lost the satisfaction of proving the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) principle and will continue to use this piece of pasted wood as my main refresher. IF I wanted to stick with shaving with only one or two razors, I'm confident I could maintain the same edge that I'd initially hone to shaving sharp on my stones by only using this thing as described above and my plain horsehide strop for six months at the least and quite possibly a year (or longer) without going back to the stones.

Chris L

When you put it like that....Wow. Excellent.

I did a similar thing, putting various diamond pastes on four pieces of 8" x 3" balsa. I think I was a bit stingy on the paste though, I need to add more.

I used the fleshy bit at the base of my thumb to massage the paste into the wood. Not sure if it was the best way, but I'll tell you something: I have the shiniest palm you ever did see!

I just use a 2"x1' balsa flake left over from a model plane I am building, it is really thin, so I have to place it on the counter to get support, but it works. I might step up to your setup eventually.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

I did a similar thing, putting various diamond pastes on four pieces of 8" x 3" balsa. I think I was a bit stingy on the paste though, I need to add more.

I used the fleshy bit at the base of my thumb to massage the paste into the wood. Not sure if it was the best way, but I'll tell you something: I have the shiniest palm you ever did see!

Ray, based on your pictures, IME you should be fine with that concentration. It's obviously working as evidenced by the oxidized steel from your razor/s. I've had worse luck by putting a thick opaque coat on balsa than I have just tinting it like you have there. So, I think you're right on the money.

Chris L

Anyone got a good source for the pastes? I could need something a bit finer for going in between my yellow coticule and the leather strop.

On Ben32e5(or whatever his forum name is!)'s suggestion in chat, I went to Lowes and bought a granite tile 12"x12" for $3.99. The tile is perfectly flat. I had them cut it there (for free) into 3" pieces. I now have 4 3"x12" granite tiles.

The next step which I haven't done yet is to get some 3M Nexcare medical tape which is 3" wide. You can get it in a roll. Ben says you just lay a piece of tape flat to cover the granite surface and coat that with the Chrome Ox. That way it always stays flat. If needed you can just put down new tape and reapply the CrO! He has experimented a lot with Chrome Ox on different surfaces and has come to enjoy this way the best. I can see it working out very well for my needs.

Originally Posted by Stuggi

Anyone got a good source for the pastes? I could need something a bit finer for going in between my yellow coticule and the leather strop.

Try this.....

JapaneseKnifeSharpening.com

They have the good stuff. Or...just PM ChrisL, he has some in small packets.

Just curious… do you "edge lead" or do you "strop" with these hones?

Use a stropping motion.